Italy Serie B - Round 34

Palermo-Parma (24/04/24, 19:30 CET)
Playoff considerations are now at the forefront for the Rosanero, with a sixth-place position that is hardly improvable. In two matches, Palermo under Mignani has debuted with two draws. To calm the murmurs at the Barbera, earning points against league-leaders Parma would be a good omen. Conversely, after their 2-0 win over Spezia, the Gialloblù scent Serie A. "I've seen a compactness and mental solidity typical of top teams," applauds Fabio Pecchia, with his team keeping a clean sheet for the second consecutive game. The club and the city rally around the coach: Parma might need just 2 wins in the next 5 matches. Even a point from the Sicilian trip would feel like promotion. But why hold back? Both teams have nothing to lose, play openly by nature, and boast the second and third-best attacks in the league (59 and 58 goals scored). Expect an open match with a medium to high score.

Reggiana-Cosenza (24/04/24, 19:30 CET)
A yellow light has been turned on at Granata's home after their second consecutive loss – without scoring – suffered at the hands of bottom-of-the-table Lecco. "We're tired, we've created little, and if we don't stay focused, we're at risk," admits Alessandro Nesta. After the stunning victory against Venezia, Reggiana seems to have taken their foot off the gas, finding themselves still not safe from relegation: they are 5 points away from the playoffs, with Cosenza, their next opponent, only 4 points behind. The Rossoblù are reinvigorated by the draw against Palermo, with coach Viali demanding "a victory pursued until the end." They will arrive at the Mapei Stadium at full strength: striker Tutino is in fine form (14 goals), and the 8 winless games cry out for revenge. A tough match is in store, with a medium to low scoreline and likely ending in a draw.

Ascoli-Modena
Ascoli records their second consecutive 0-0 draw, halting another Venetian team but losing ground in the relegation playoff zone: they have 2 points to make up in 5 games. "I'm not interested in other results; the spirit is right, and we need to find clarity in front of goal," analyzes coach Carrera. Saturday sees the Del Duca gearing up for the match of the year: beating a wounded Modena would reignite the survival battle and drag the Emilians, currently 6 points ahead, into the mix. However, the Yellow and Blues are in poor form, with Bianco's dismissal at the end of an 11-match winless streak in the spotlight. The 1-3 defeat to Catanzaro was fatal, and the team seems to be short of breath for weeks. With experienced coach Pierpaolo Bisoli now in charge, the aim is to breathe life into the team and, most importantly, avoid relegation. Expect an unstable match, with a medium to low scoreline, theoretically ending in a draw if Modena avoids an emotional collapse. And that's a big 'if'.

Bari-Pisa
Another weekly dismissal has occurred in Bari, where 6 losses in the last 8 games have doomed Giuseppe Iachini's tenure. Former Milan and Samp coach Marco Giampaolo takes his place: he's the fifth coach chosen by the club this season. A season that started badly and has continued poorly; fans now only hope it doesn't end worse. But for this Bari, regaining physical and mental energy won't be easy. Pisa, with 4 wins in the last 6, is keeping the playoff dream alive: after the 3-1 win over FeralpiSalò, they are only one point away from sixth place again. "Important signs, but now we need to insist and perform better away from home: we go to Puglia to win," charges Alberto Aquilani. Indeed, the Tuscans have lost 3 of their last 4 matches away from the Arena Garibaldi but are gaining maturity. Between two toothless attacks, the duel between Sibilli and Valoti (both with 10 goals) intrigues. While the scales may tip towards the visitors, the outcome of the match remains uncertain: the San Nicola factor advises caution.

Brescia-Ternana
Brescia's streak was halted in Venice by a 2-0 defeat after two consecutive victories. "Punished by details, we risked little: now we must recharge and start again," said coach Maran without drama. The Biancoblù are still in seventh place but are closely pursued by at least four competitors. They return to the Rigamonti to extend their lead against a resurgent Ternana. Watch out for the bursts of energy that Breda's boys are providing, coming off an impressive win against Cremonese at the 96th minute (1-2). "No one believed in these three points; we deserved them all," said the satisfied coach. The Umbrians thus gift themselves a week in the safety zone after a long time, but the games are far from over. Breda has molded a true and competitive team: they will certainly give Brescia a tough time. Home favorites could slip, but both teams are likely to score.

FeralpiSalò-Como
After three consecutive victories, Feralpi's unbeaten away record was broken by Pisa (3-1). "We created as much as they did, but conceded too much: too many lapses today," analyzed coach Zaffaroni. His team is giving their all, but trailing by -4 to the playoffs with 5 games left might not be enough. Especially since Como is coming, riding high in second place with a streak of 4 wins. Their victory against Bari (2-1) was significant and mature, as Osian Roberts preaches to "keep up the same determination: this period is intense and requires consistent performance." For the third time in a row, Gabrielloni-Da Cunha form the striking partnership: Serie A requires players in top form, and Como knows who to rely on. A fighting Feralpi team is expected, capable of causing trouble for the opponents. However, the technical gap could become apparent over time: the win should go to the Biancoblù.

Catanzaro-Cremonese (24/04/24, 16:15 CET)
"Feet on the ground, no flights of fancy: we're in top gear, but with the right balance. And the fans are giving us a tremendous boost," said Vincenzo Vivarini this week. After their 3-1 victory over Modena, his Catanzaro is increasingly in fifth place and now can launch an assault on fourth place (which would mean one less playoff round): Cremonese comes to Ceravolo in free fall (3 losses in the last 4 games) and with the psychological blow of suddenly finding themselves (-4) far from the direct promotion zone, which only a few weeks ago saw them as favorites. "For the first time, I was angry with my team at halftime," admitted Stroppa after the 1-2 loss to Ternana. The coach is shuffling the cards, but the result remains unchanged for now. And overturning the momentum in Catanzaro is looking quite challenging. A sharp match: the home team has the wind at their back, while the visitors are more equipped but lost. A goal from each side could come, without necessarily high-scoring scenarios.

Lecco-Venezia (24/04/24, 16:15 CET)
A spark from Ionita in the second half, and Lecco finds victory (1-0 against Reggiana) after almost four months without it. Perhaps it's too late to save themselves (9 points to recover in 5 games), but not too late to bid farewell with honor from Serie B. "But the upcoming matches matter much more than those behind us," continues to believe Mr. Malgrati, whose impact is undoubtedly positive (4 points in 2 games). The next match, do or die, will be against a Venezia side also vying for direct promotion: Tessmann's brace against Brescia (2-0) feels like a revival after two blank games, but the talented orange-greens have often been guilty of inconsistency. They can also rue the draw against Lecco in the first leg (2-2). "We expect a challenging match full of pitfalls; it will be essential to demonstrate our maturity," commented Paolo Vanoli, uplifted by a visit from President Niederauer's team this week. The moment at Venezia is crucial; everyone knows they're playing for a lot even though it wasn't the case at the start: Pohjanpalo to believe. Despite the home team's surge of pride, a draw or away win seems likely.

Spezia-Sampdoria (24/04/24, 16:15 CET)
Performance yes, points zero. Spezia returns to defeat after 5 rounds (2-0 at Parma's Tardini) and has no time to cling to the legitimate analysis of a loss suffered at the home of the league leader. "We still haven't understood that we're fighting to avoid relegation," coach D'Angelo chastises his players, now in the relegation playoff zone. The Bianconeri shield themselves at Picco for the Ligurian derby against Sampdoria, which could determine their season. In both senses: the blucerchiati are playing a significant part of the playoffs, especially after the unexpected home defeat by Sudtirol (0-1). "We can't afford any more missteps; today we lacked lucidity, but we'll redeem ourselves," promises Pirlo. Ready for a high coefficient of instability: Samp has more quality, while Spezia relies on tactical resilience under D'Angelo's guidance, which is bearing fruit. All scenarios are on the table, both in terms of the final result and the goal count.

Sudtirol-Cittadella (24/04/24, 16:15 CET)
The word is there, but it's not spoken. "Forbidden to talk about playoffs, even though we had our best performance at Marassi," Federico Valente compliments his Sudtirol. More than Tait's goal, it's the overall performance of the red-whites that stands out, beating Samp away, imposing their game, and taking few risks. Thus, that sixth place is now just three points away. Two for Cittadella, who maintained their positive streak – 5 games without defeat – but couldn't get past a goalless draw at home against Ascoli. "I hold on to the draw: first, we secure safety, then we can think about the playoffs," Mr. Gorini's pragmatism. So here comes the direct clash between the economic outsiders of this league: whoever wins in Bolzano can still believe. An evenly matched game is coming, between two similar teams in technical abilities and current form (-3 goal difference for Citta, -1 for Sudtirol). A medium to low-scoring outcome might emerge.