Calabro for another miracle

TURIN – With the victory over Vicenza, after the double final of the C playoffs, Carrarese returned to B after 76 years, at the end of a journey in which the Tuscans eliminated Perugia, Juventus Next Gen and Benevento. The Giallazzurri are thus the fourth team to rise from the third series after Mantua, Cesena and Juve Stabia. On the Apuan bench is Antonio Calabro who will receive the honorary citizenship of Carrara, an honor voted unanimously by the City Council, in a session that will be scheduled shortly before the start of the championship. Calabro’s little-known name, yet he had already coached in Serie B, he inherited Carpi from Fabrizio Castori, when the Emilians had begun the descending phase of their adventure that had taken them all the way to Serie A. It was the summer of 2017, Calabro he arrived there after three seasons for Virtus Francavilla, with Carpi he finished his first experience in Serie B in 11th place. A result that could pave his way in the category, in theory. Instead Calabro had to return to coaching in Serie C, obtaining a 2nd place with Catanzaro in 2021. He has led Carrarese since last January 7, when he took over Alessandro Dal Canto, he had finished in 3rd place in the championship, but there was nothing to suggest that Carrarese could get the better of much more famous teams, even if the Giallazzurri had been playing in important championships for some time and above all, during the time of Silvio Baldini on the bench, they had come close to winning Serie B. The match in the final with Vicenza, after the 0-0 draw in The first leg was decided in the return from the net by Mattia Finotto, 31 years old, already promoted to Serie B with Spal and Monza. With the Brianza he suffered a serious injury at the beginning of the cadet season, in 2020, which seemed like it could mark his career. Let’s say that the real Finotto only started to appear again in February, when he was purchased by Carrarese, with whom he made 15 appearances and 7 goals in the league, plus three more goals during the playoffs. In a season that began with Triestina, in which he also collected 6 assists overall. And now, what championship will Carrarese await? Surely the Apuans will only have to think about maintaining the category, and it won’t be easy, even if this year’s B could be less competitive than the last, looking at the names of the 7 new teams that will make up the championship. However, Carrarese, who surprised everyone in the C playoffs, could have the numbers to convince in B too. And give Calabro back the limelight that he would have already deserved after the experience at Carpi. His pragmatic football, as an emerging helmsman, could also find the right spotlight in Serie B.