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[San Ortelio]

Football has been around for about half a century in San Ortelio, yet the Serie Nazionale only enters its fifteenth edition so far. Before, due to logistical reasons, there were two domestic competitions, one on each of the peninsulas which constitute San Ortelio. However, due to the small size of the nation, only a limited number of teams were able to put up a good fight and this did not assure much excitement. As such, the twelve best united in the Serie. In theory, this is not a closed league and the red lantern can be challenged by the winner of the lower division for a promotion spot. However, this has only happened successfully once in the last decade as most lower tier teams do not aspire to move up a flight - the Serie Nazionale contains all semi-pro teams, those below are pure amateurs.

The competition itself runs in two halves. Before the winter break, there is a double round-robin tournament constituting twenty-two matchdays. The top six continue as the Serie A, starting with a single point advantage for every win before the break. They face off, once home and away. The other six compete in the Serie B with the same ruleset. During the second half, the teams also compete in the Coppa delle Stella and regional cup tournaments. The Coppa delle Stella forms the second national trophy. Twelve lower-tier teams join the four weakest Serie Nazionale sides in the opening round, the other eight get in the draw the next week. All confrontations are single game, with a return match in case of a draw. Each of the five regions also compete for a local trophy, yet the Serie sides do not always fully commit to those.

Logistically, it is important to note that our small nation only has three pitches deemed worthy of first-division level. One of them [Corsa Quersia - 2500 seats] is located on the northern coast and caters to the teams from San Bonifazio (Pesari, Borgonovo, Montelcampo) and Santa Sofia (Stampano). A second one [Olimpico - 6000 seats] lies in a bay on the territory of San Pancrazio and forms the home ground for the sides from that region (the Catrallo’s, Esca and Fagli). Last but not least, there is Dietro Baracche, the old army marching ground with its characteristic single stand which forms the home of the two clubs from San Mamerto (Nottori, San Savola) and San Servazio (Astello, Redoccio)

Catrallo Calcio

The overview immediately starts with the team which has been tipped by the bookmakers as the favourite to grab the title. And to be honest, nothing less is expected in Catrallo, from the board room to the stands. It’s the only logical consequence of grabbing seven titles and five Coppa’s in fourteen years. Catrallo Calcio forms the boisterous, confident playboy of the competition: they look dashing in navy and white, are always at the forefront when it comes to luxury and never hesitate to snap up that talented youngster from your favourite side. Winning comes as a second nature for the team from the informal capital of San Ortelio and there is no reason why that would change this year.

Mario Anza can count on a well-balanced squad which is one of the few with serious depth, this ability to rotate in the easier games has always been an ace up their sleeve. Due to that strength, Anza opts for a 3-5-2 with wings who do their best to suffocate the opposition and Di Masi as sole defensive midfielder. The back three might be hard as nails but still possess enough technical skills to earn their spot into the signature style of Calcio - high pressure, loads of passing and a touch of class. Their front duo might lack some height but both Spadoni and Garofalo have a track record larded with goals.

XI - Filippo Pompa * Federico Dema, Giuseppe Rocca, Gaetano Lucarelli * Alessio Di Masi, Fabio Mascolo, Roberto Agostinone, Gianmarco Del Prete, Lorenzo Moreschini * Davide Spadoni, Carmine Garofalo

Star Player - Gianmarco Del Prete. The most hated player for any opposition, ‘La Leggenda’ for the fans of Calcio. A playmaker who will not only dazzle your goalie with his free kicks but who will find the most insulting way to slice open your defense. Is less lazy than many account him for but still a player who puts the brains above the legwork.

Esca Unione

Hailing from the ‘end of the world’ Esca, the relatively remote fisher port at the tip of the peninsula, this club is the successor of AS Esca when the club feared to tip over financially about ten years ago. They have come a long way since, from narrowly avoiding dropping down a tier to being a decent midtier club who can aspire a spot in the Serie A. They managed to do so by honing their youth department, sporting no less than seven players below 25 in the starting line up. Unione still is strapped for cash and might fear losing some key players if they rattle the big names this year.

Manager Luigi Delphi forms a bit of a folk legend, with his characteristic moustache and incomprehensible dialect, but beneath the surface, one can find a shrewd tactician. Well aware you’re sometimes the hammer and sometimes the nail, he will not hesitate to reshuffle the board when needed. In general, he relies on his powerful midfield led out by Albertoni and Tozzuolo, who must combine about seven lungs. In case of emergency, the length of Stefano Baiocco forms a plan B which is rarely a joy to watch, but more often than not effective.

XI - Jacopo Burrai * Mattia Righetto, Tommaso Crilese, Salvatore Moscati, Paolo Melchiorri * Alberto Sgarbi, Carlo Albertoni, Gabriele Tozzuolo, Stefano Falzerano * Alessandro Tozzuolo, Stefano Baiocco

Star Player - Salvatore Moscati. In a side with lots of good but no exceptional players, Moscati managed to earn a special place in the heart of the supporters. Starting player at eighteen, captain at twenty-two, he has been the guide through rough times and the symbol for the endurance of the club. Knows the tricks and will use them.

Fagli Cinquanta

Named after the year of foundation, but according to critics after the number of fans which they draw. Some consider ‘La Fa’ as the personal playtoy of construction magnate Renzo Di Callare but on the other hand, if he was really committed, they would be better. Fact is that they miss a dedicated fan base and somehow manage to hoover up players who are either past their prime or never will fulfill their true potential. Being a manager cemetary hasn’t really done them much favours either and in a normal relegation system, they would have gone down a few times. This time around, they actually look less shabby than usual - but that sentiment tends to last only a month or two at Fagli.

The ‘new’ man in the tracksuit is Silvano Laghi who starts his third stint with the team - you can’t expect a nation of less than half a million people to have an abundance of coaches. He inherited a selection which should at least be able to knock in a few goals but is in dire need of organisational stability. Laghi aims to do so with a sturdy ‘rectangle’ in the back, based upon a duo of defensive midfielders who take no prisoners. That leaves a lot of pressure on Lorenzo Tosi, a Calcio reject with a spotty personal record, to guide the team to greener pastures. If he shows up, they’ll be fine else...

XI - Elia Scardina * Luca Ghidotti, Edoardo Ferrara, Mirco Rossi, Matteo Labruzzo * Antonio Lamberti, Michele Faini, Lorenzo Tosi * Riccardo Ciccone, Emanuele Bignami, Filippo Panatti

Star Player - Emanuele Bignami. Physical and mad like a donkey, this is the kind of striker no defender looks forth to. He will breath down your neck for ninety minutes and will prey on every mistake made. Also, he will drive his own fans crazy by ruining some sitters but at the end of the day, Bignami remains an assurance for double goal figures.

FC Pesari

Pesari remains the only side from the eastern peninsula to win a title, a feat of which they are particularly proud. ‘I Pappagalli’, after their dazzling combination of yellow and blue, even have four of those on the mantle but have fallen a bit behind the other two of the ‘Big Three’ in later years. Some claim that positioning themselves as understudy for Calcio and trying to follow in the financial rat race remains a questionable move but FC seems back on the road up. They were still distanced by Calcio and Virtus last year but look ready to step it up a notch in the upcoming season. Picking up a well-sought after talent such as Attilio Quintarelli underlines their ambition to return to greatness.

If the shit hits the fan eventually, Giorgio Guerra cannot blame the amount of potential in his selection. Lanzafame could well be the best goalie around and his defense clicks better and better with each passing season. At first sight, Guerra seems to employ a traditional diamond 4-4-2 but the vertical movement from his midfielders gives it a tactical edge. Those for whom the glass is half full will claim that Pesari bring modern football, with movement and technical prowess. Others dare to conclude that FC runs a lot but forgets that football is about scoring goals - neither striker is a major asset.

XI - Enrico Lanzafame * Giancarlo Passuello, Pietro Mazziero, Ercole Venturato, Alessio Rota * Attilio Quintarelli, Sandro Zanoni, Giacomo Favaro, Alberto Bortolotto * Giancarlo Laghi, Roberto Pella

Star Player - Giacomo Favaro. Still only twenty-three, Favaro became the face of the new renaissance for I Pappagalli and aspires to turn that reputation into silverware this year. Ambitious yet courteous off the pitch, a bulldog with a nifty pass and a mean shot on it, he clicks extremely well with the fans who were sick and tired with their primadonnas.

Inter Cattralo

Every decent metropolis has an admirable ‘second team’. Although San Ortelio lacks major hubs, Inter does a more than decent effort to act as that side your mother admires because they ‘never give up and look so dashing in purple’. As any self-respecting second team, they never won a trophy but do still boast about that victory over city rivals Calcio three years ago. Retrieving their supporters from the harbour borrows rather than the city centre, they are assured of a loyal fan base who don’t really mind if they end up in the Serie B when all cards are on the table as long as the shirt is dirty.

The club culture makes a self-fulfilling prophecy when it comes to the hand which has been dealt to Piero Fezzardi. The goalkeeper is an actual bouncer on nights without a fixture and the central defending pairing can make a decent scrap book from their red cards. Striker Saligari counts on his main asset, headers, to make a difference and being a midfielder at Inter comes with a neck cramp. It looks as if Fezzardi will further cultivate that kick-and-rush line in the upcoming twelve months, larded with the more cynical approach to defending. You’ve been warned.

XI - Davide Roscioli * Giuseppe Nicoletti, Mariano Calcaterra, Simone Tebaldi, Luca Perini * Roberto Checchin, Eros Fidanza, Guido Gorini, Fabiano Scirea, Marco Dotti * Giovanni Saligari

Star Player - Fabiano Scirea. Amidst a selection of hard hitters, the subtlety of Scirea, his soft yet precise touch of the leather just are that bit more striking. Fielding him makes the difference between a rugby and a football side and even as he reaches the wrong side of thirty for a fragile player, Scirea remains their very own little diamond.

Madonna Nottori

Let’s start with the positive sides of this club. They’ve got a decent youth academy, cater a sparsely populated bit of the country, hm… What else. Their kit usually manages to make the offensive colour combination of orange and olive bearable? Truly, the list we’ve got here can’t be lengthened. Nottori is the red lantern for three years running and only stays up because no one puts them out of their misery. Every decent youngster seems to flee ‘Il Cavalli’ as soon as a better option comes around and Nottori remains stuck with the second or third category. Their only hope is to reach the point where they’ve embraced their shabbiness and turn it into a marketing ploy.

After the above description, it is futile to sell the line-up as exciting. Still, we must applaud that Nottori usually shies away from parking the bus and still attempts to bring combination football to the pitch. The presence of three Scrugli brothers is not necessarily an asset but does make a quirky mathematical anomaly. The back four is clanky at best, so we must add that goalie Nobile deserves better support, he often saves them from a severe thrashing. They’ve improved in the attack, so there’s a glimmer of hope?

XI - Giacomo Nobile * Francesco Fusco, Angelo Rocchi, Manuele Masini, Lorenzo Scrugli * Dario Nocciolini, Simone Scrugli, Vittorio Scrugli * Davide Trillo, Adelberto D’Ambrosio, Andrea Di Pasquale

Star Player - Davide Trillo. The nomination of ‘Star Player’ might be one step too far but Trillo is the newest talent to drop off the conveyor belt. Fast in the first metres and with quick feet, Trillo could be one of the breakthrough stars of the year. In that case, it might be his only season with this club.

Pro Stampano

‘The Postmen’ (yes, that is a quirky wordplay over a city once founded as the mail office for the whole region) position themselves in recent years as the only city who could make an attack on the ‘Big Three’ as the end result of years of work. Patience and long-term planning are words rarely heard in San Ortelian football, but Pro Stampano discovered that by doing everything by the book, you could actually build a strong and durable team. Youths get chances, key players kept on board, ambitions are realistic, … You would almost admire the team in blue, almost, if they were not so freaking dull.

This vibe transpires in the line-up as well, a 4-4-2 which usually transpires into a 4-2-2-2 with a solid organisation and a reliable yet unspectacular back four. Opponents often end up struggling to understand why they lost as Cianci nor Santoro are particularly talented but they click well and find one another perfectly. The wingers do add a bit of spice to the overall and their sole form of frivolity comes from the often intricate free kick routines. It’s not special at first sight, but it is damn effective.

XI - Ettore Trasciani * Mattia Arrigoni, Luca Ilari, Roberto Trasciani, Simone Rossi * Daniele Di Francesco, Domenico Cappa, Pietro Bunino, Marco Iotti * Ugo Cianci, Mattia Santoro

Star Player - Marco Iotti. In a line-up which seems nearly military when it comes to executing tasks, Iotti is the sole player given room for some panache by gaffer Caverzasi. Iotti loves to wander from the wing to the halfspaces and confuses the opposition with his speed of execution. A guy for whom you come to the stadium.

Robur Astello

In a country where anti-football is less frowned upon then in most places, Robur Astello carved their whole image on being the gritty outsider who is not afraid to be the bad guy. For the outsider, this is often a laughable effort - limited fan base but a remarkable number of lunatics, above average amounts of tattoos and beards and shockingly poor black-and-white shirt design - but in a microcosm such as San Ortelian football, they do stand for something. And it must be added, they give the league that little bit of extra colour when they make a ridiculous complaint to the FA, sing explicit chants on the current hot topic or saw a leg off your favorite midfielder.

You’ve got the numbers right, that’s a back five filled to the brim with cynical butchers (and Maurizi, actually a very decent player) and a group of four in front of them who often skew the line between pressure and downright mob mentality. It’s easy to set it aside as a pathetic attempt to mimic the self-created club persona as they’ve actually incorporated some of the key lessons of modern football: small spaces, chasing the opponent without sacrificing and quick yet efficient counterattacking. They claim it’s an acquired taste and it does bring quite decent results.

XI - Fabio Ferri * Matteo Martorelli, Filippo Maurizi, Sebastiano Lomolino, Michele Giulotti, Emanuele Carletti * Federico Pozzi, Filippo Varoli, Christian Sassi, Jacopo Marcellusi * Romeo Gozzi

Star Player - Romeo Gozzi. Oh, and there’s a single striker. But what a striker he is. There is a decent case to make that he's the best one in the country. On his day, he’s powerful, fast, with a nose for goals and the capacity to store the ball to allow his side to move forth. Unfortunately, he combines it with one of the least likable characters in town and a shady legal track record.

Sportiva Montelcampo

Nine years ago, everything clicked in place for Montelcampo and they managed to grab a title that no one expected to happen yet everyone considered as deserved. Their sole success has become a bit of a stone around their neck as trying to replicate what was, in hindsight, a fluke combined with an off-season for the opposition, placed some unneeded pressure on Sportiva. Queue a few years where players and managers came through revolving doors and the red-and-white appeared desperate for their own identity next to the ‘Big Three’. Ironically, stopping to do so in the last few seasons only has worked to their advantage and the club looks more solid these days.

Manager Oliviero Tumellero played a pivotal role in this transition. An advocate of the 3-4-3, a difficult system to execute, he has invested a lot of time in finding the right profiles and putting everyone in the right place. Pino has a well-honed back three in front of him, Delvino and Buglia are a decent engine and each striker brings in his expected number of goals by the end of the year. Their weakness remains to be consistency as bringing the same quality to the pitch every other game proves to be difficult. If everyone sticks to his tasks, they belong in the Serie A.

XI - Pasquale Pino * Manuele Giannotti, Orlando Castorani, Francesco Sarcinella * Fabio Sparandeo, Leonardo Delvino, Diego Buglia, Ercole Mazzone * Andrea Pambianco, Federico Celli, Alberto Di Cosmo

Star Player - Andrea Pambianco. Starting out as a central midfielder, Pambianco combines technique and versatility with a continuous looming danger to the opposition. When Tumellero moved him to the wing, it seemed a downgrade but he only added a layer of skills to his set. An assurance on goals and a team player.

SSD Borgonovo

Off the beaten track, that is the least you can say from the last club to make their way from the amateur ranks to the Serie Nazionale. SSD likes to do things a bit differently than the others and puts a lot of emphasis on fan initiatives, grassroots impulses and generic tomfoolery. It hasn’t really brought in any proper results but they are an enjoyable side to follow if you don’t mind getting the crap beaten out of you on a regular basis. Based in a quarter founded to supply one of the very few major factories in the country, cannery and main sponsor NutriPe, they’re seen as a left-wing club for the worker - not always an admired choice in a generally conservative nation.

Having a manager who is younger than a third of your squad is one of those things others would not do. Diego Chiesa tries to introduce modern techniques to the squad, ranging from primitive data initiatives to group psychology sessions. If it will help them from improving from last year’s penultimate spot remains an open question, nonetheless, as the same eleven will have to make the difference. The 5-3-2 variant is rarely employed and we dare to claim there might be a deeper reason to that. SSD struggle to score goals but we must say that the midfield trio has its value and the Boffeli twins in the back reaches the benchmark. Their goalie is awful.

XI - Leonardo Brignoli * Luca Mangano, Giulio Boffeli, Gianluca Boffeli, Riccardo Ghioldi, Davide Dellavedova * Paolo Castelli, Giorgio Fietta, Lorenzo Spizzichino * Andrea Gatti, Niccolo Galli

Star Player - Paolo Castelli. At 33, Paolo Castelli moved back a row for the third time in his career and seems to have found the right place now to truly excel. Above average feet for the position combined with clever use of space and the physique of a builder make him a stabilising force in a side that often struggles to stay afloat.

US San Savola

If it weren’t for the inexplicable decision to sport a flashy green kit as first, and a deep pink shirt as second outfit, we would dare to consider US San Savola as the grey mouse of the competition. They make the best possible side on a shoestring budget and shy away from the bottom edge of the table, which is all commendable but San Savola never really seems to make a splash. No deep cup run, no remarkable transfer, not even a quirky mascot. They only seem to lighten up when it comes to defending their regional title in San Mamerto which they’ve now kept for six years running. But as San Ma’ is seen as the national laughing stock, with its inhabitants considered a bit more backward and slow than the already deplorable national average, that’s not really a badge of honour.

Oscar Fincato has been at the helm for the club for nineteen years running, a genuine record, so you would not expect much new. The ploy is the same-old flat 4-4-2 yet it deserves to be noticed that with Gagliano, Cadili and Tornaghi, three youngsters have been given the all-clear to make a next step. It makes this side a bit more interesting to follow as the game plan otherwise is fairly straightforward - toss it to the short guy/big lad combination up front and hope they make it work out.

XI - Cesare Giandonato * Daniele Gagliano, Giorgio Biancu, Antonio Cocco, Paolo La Rosa * Bernardo Ladinetti, Nunzio Tornaghi, Riccardo Pisano, Luca Cadili * Samuele Marigu, Christian Valeri

Star Player - Christian Valeri. By our accounts the tallest player in the highest tier, Valeri is a phenomenon in his own right. He is static, clumsy, a gentle giant at first glance but deserves a second scratch to the surface. Pivotal in the tactical plan, he’s hardworking and does lift this team away from the bottom of the ranking.

Virtus Redoccio

Congratulations, you’ve made it all the way till the bottom of the preview to discover the side that could actually endanger Catrallo. Virtus Redoccio lifted itself from a decent number three to a true challenger based on choosing a different inroad rather than copying the original. Over the years, they’ve chased that 27-year old consistent back rather than the new gifted kid on the block and it’s a transfer policy that works out nicely for them. The side might be a tad older but makes a solid team that rarely skips a beat. The president of Virtus, theatre owner Paolo Frattini makes an intriguing exception to this image of a hardworking, ‘no sweat no result’ team with his eccentric outfits.

We’re in danger of saying the word ‘solid’ too much in this preview but it’s just a perfect summary for what they’ve got. Evacuo is consistent and strong in the air, the four in front of him know one another well and possess a mean offside trap guided by Mirarchi. Confalonieri polices the midfield, with Fazio as understudy - both loyal club soldiers. This opens up room for creativity of the other four, but none shies away from putting in that extra mile and in the case of Stramaccioni, that extra tackle. The notable hard man has a running record of three teeth chipped off when going for an impossible ball, quite a character.

XI - Serafino Evacuo * Luca Curiale, Rocco Mirarchi, Desiderio Pinna, Paride Risolo * Fabrizio Confalonieri, Marco Fazio, Francesco Bagheria, Emilio Salvatori * Flavio Stramaccioni, Orazio Canova

Star Player - Emilio Salvatori. He doesn’t like the comparison himself, but in every way he is the anti-Del Prete. Modest, shy, yet a treasure on the ball and more often in the box than your regular number ten. It makes him a man with exceptional statistics and much beloved within the squad.

[San Ortelio]

MD1

Sat 18h Esca Unione           1–0 Pro Stampano
        US San Savola         0–2 Fagli Cinquanta
        Sportiva Montelcampo  3–1 Robur Astello
Sun 15h FC Pesari             6–2 Madonna Nottori
        Virtus Redoccio       4–0 SSD Borgonovo
        Catrallo Calcio       4–1 Inter Catrallo

And so it kicked off with the Big Three coming out of the starting blocks without a single hesitation. I Papagalli showed their opposition all colours of the rainbow with Giancarlo Laghi making a proper case against those who criticised his goal scoring abilities with a hattrick straight off the bat. Similar smiles across the board with Virtus who performed a textbook delivery of ‘how to dominate a game’ against SSD. Borgonovo earned a grand total of zero chances from open play and only the double wall set up by the Boffeli brothers kept this from being a painful evening. And so, only Calcio had to dig deep for the derby. Inter came into the game with clear intentions, to nip every Calcio combination in the bud and managed to for about an hour - midfield vacuum cleaners Checchin and Fidanza keeping it tidy by playing dirty but when Perini caught a second yellow, Calcio broke clear. In ten minutes, Gianmarco Del Prete led his side from a one-all to 4-1 - that’s why they call him La Leggenda.

It kind of clouded an interesting set of results on Saturday where Pro Stampano failed to show up against Esca. Gabriele Tozzuolo scored a clean opener for the home team and the Postmen simply had no back-up plan to go with it. Frustration for Pro as they were outsmarted by Unione manager Delphi whose zonal marking disallowed the Stampano strikers to link up. The Fagli season started with a hoot as big man Bignami did what he does best, abusing mistakes from the US back four and making the most of it. This San Savola could be up for a long season like this. But the most entertaining game of the weekend probably was played at Corsa Quersia. Robur versus Sportiva delivered a clash of styles with the latter getting underneath the pressure just enough to keep the three points at home. Special marks for Diego Buglia who found that space to give his three forwards one goal each. Robur actually looked decent, so we can’t wait for the moment where they shoot themselves in the foot.

MD2

Sat 18h SSD Borgonovo         2–6 Catrallo Calcio
        Fagli Cinquanta       0–2 FC Pesari
        Madonna Nottori       1–2 Sportiva Montelcampo
Sun 15h Pro Stampano          0–0 Inter Catrallo
        Esca Unione           2–0 US San Savola
        Robur Astello         2–2 Virtus Redoccio

Two games, ten goals - that’s on the plus side for Catrallo but on the minus for SSD. It’s not a proper wording but Chiesa’s Borgonovo so far looks drab: a lack of skill and even the usual fighting spirit seems vanished. Obviously Calcio didn’t mind: there are rumours about a national team and Carmine Garofalo is putting out his résumé by putting in the numbers: five goals and two assists so far. Elsewhere, Pesari did a less clinical job despite Fagli only showing up for the opening half. After the break, FC forgot to run up the score and the neutral football fan requested fifty-four minutes of their life back. They had better been at the Nottori game. Il Cavalli genuinely hope to escape the last spot this time around and made a decent case for it - the impressive lob goal from Di Pasquale deserved as Sportiva clawed back with a late scrimmage winner by Di Cosmo.

On Sunday, Virtus blew their maximum against Robur Astello. The home side got in front twice, with a pivotal role for Romeo Gozzi. The attacker had a clever chip on a splendid Sassi through ball and a thunderous strike in the top corner in store, leaving Evacuo without a chance twice. Salvatori has not yet kicked it in top gear this season and if you combine that with a brutal but well-organised opponent, points will be spilled. All in all, it’s lucky that Ferri let a long-range effort from Bagheria slip through his gloves or Robur would have won it. That means there are four flawless teams and Esca Unione is one of them. San Savola just ain’t where it’s at yet and Gabi Tozzuolo started the season in top form. We conclude with a scoreless draw. Good scoreless draws exist out there. Maybe the goalies were top notch, the woodwork played its part or we’ve witnessed a tactical masterpiece. This was none of the above, it was just crap.

MD3

Sat 18h Sportiva Montelcampo  4–1 Fagli Cinquanta
        Inter Catrallo        1–1 SSD Borgonovo
        Virtus Redoccio       6–0 Madonna Nottori
Sun 15h US San Savola         0–1 Pro Stampano
        FC Pesari             1–0 Esca Unione
        Catrallo Calcio       2–1 Robur Astello

Three weeks into the season and Madonna’s Giacomo Nobile gets to turn around six times again. Worst of all, he probably was their star player. Against an opponent such as Virtus, Nottori is just too naive and Canova - 4 goals - got shooting practice. It also allowed Salvatori to gain some confidence for the next few games. It wasn’t the only blow-out and surprisingly, Sportiva handed out the blow with a third consecutive win. The numbers look good for the Robins so far with Pambianco at the cannon and Buglia at the wheel. But will they deliver when seriously tested as well? Saturday concluded - the game kicked off forty minutes late due to the stadium keys being missing - with a soulless draw. Whilst SSD greet any point with joy, Inter must be disappointed. Their Serie A ambitions look laughable at the moment.

A rather meagre harvest of goals on Sunday but nonetheless quite interesting results which hid part of the story. Dietro Baracche saw a duel between two sides going through rough weather: will the penalty goal from Roberto Trasciani set Stampano back on course? FC Pesari got it mighty difficult against the season revelation so far. In a high-quality match, neither side deserved to lose yet Esca ended up with empty hands when Giacomo Favari showed a bit of class - an amazing drop kick rattling the net. Last but not least, Catrallo got the three points in a game they always fear and with reason. Astello defender Giulotti kicked Spadoni off the pitch with a knee-high tackle that somehow only got him yellow and Del Prete was lucky to escape the same fate. Amidst all the rows, Lorenzo Moreschini showed style, seeing two of his numerous telescoped crosses being hammered past Fabio Ferri for the victory.

MD4

Fri 20h US San Savola         0–3 FC Pesari
Sat 18h Fagli Cinquanta       0–5 Virtus Redoccio
        Robur Astello         0–0 Inter Catrallo
Sun 15h Pro Stampano          1–0 SSD Borgonovo
        Esca Unione           3–3 Sportiva Montelcampo
        Madonna Nottori       1–3 Catrallo Calcio

Friday night football and well, you could have stayed at home as well. US San Savola truly seem on their way to the bottom of the table and FC Pesari were just a class above them. It offered a good moment to consider how Giacomo Favaro should be ranked when it comes to our nation’s best players but then again, does a game like this really offer a proper measure? When it comes to one-sided affairs, Virtus had one of those on their hands as well. Four goals before tea, three signed by in-form Canova, sufficed for an easy walkover against Cinquanta. Still a better game then Robur against Inter. Two sides whose main focus is to disallow the other one to play result in a horrible stand-off. The extra-time pub brawl which bizarrely saw Robur’s Martorelli slam an Inter player with his shin pad was the best bit of this match-up. Good entertainment value for three matches on the sin bin.

But at least Sunday had good games, right? Yes, but no. Pro Stampano got a second win but they haven’t played a single convincing half, so Borgonovo really blew the chance for a much-needed point. The tally from the Postmen is quite rough: in their first four games, they’ve just scored through two penalties. Nottori versus Calcio is too unbalanced a match-up to really excite. The opener for Madonna by 19-year old Trillo almost got a fun factor, but ten minutes and goals by Garofalo and Agostinone later, all was said and done: Catrallo remained flawless. The best game was between Esca and Sportiva, two sides in form and with the ambition to make it an entertaining one. Neither deserved to lose and so happened. Alberto Sgarbi, right wing from Unione played like a rocket with numerous dribbles but Sportiva’s Di Cosmo, author of two goals amongst which the equaliser could claim the MotM trophy as well...

MD5

Fri 20h Sportiva Montelcampo  1–3 US San Savola
Sat 18h FC Pesari             1–0 Pro Stampano
        Virtus Redoccio       1–0 Esca Unione
        Catrallo Calcio       4–1 Fagli Cinquanta
Sun 15h SSD Borgonovo         0–4 Robur Astello
        Inter Catrallo        1–1 Madonna Nottori

As such, the weekend started with a stunner when Montelcampo got beaten by US San Savola. Was it the kick-off hour, disadvantage for a side which missed two starters due to job schedule conflicts? Or Christian Valeri awaking from his summer sleep with a brace? Fact is that Sportiva did everything right so far this season but now their confidence might get a little dent. After such excitement, the ‘Big Three’ ensured nothing dodgy happened on Saturday with all picking up their points. Catrallo Calcio had no trouble to set aside Fagli via another Garofalo hattrick. The versatile striker dominates this league and is at ten goals at the moment. Pesari showed a more clinical side of themselves, needing some time to dismantle the Pro Stampano organisation. Point is that after the Pella opener, Stampano just couldn’t figure out how to score a field goal. Their tally for those is still zero.

Virtus against Esca, however, was worth a watch, including a pretty nifty winning goal by Stramaccioni: a little backheel can go a long way. At the end of the day, the game was won at midfield. Confalonieri and Fazio remain an amazing duo to control the flow and were the first this year to take the upper hand in that region against Unione. Still, Esca looks ready to crack bigger sides than theirs. After that, Sunday had little left in store. Borgonovo got pummeled by Romeo Gozzi who shocked the home fans not just with three goals, but also by celebrating with the goatee. He claims it was to infer his status as top dog amongst the San Ortelian strikers, but some consider it a reference to right-wing politician Enzo Ripale - a rather hated man amongst the often socialist fans from SSD. To conclude, Nottori got their first point against a still winless Inter courtesy to a lucky shot from Simone Scrugli. It was celebrated like a win by them.

MD6

Sat 18h Madonna Nottori       1–1 SSD Borgonovo
        Fagli Cinquanta       0–1 Inter Catrallo
        FC Pesari             1–2 Sportiva Montelcampo
Sun 15h Pro Stampano          1–1 Robur Astello
        Esca Unione           2–1 Catrallo Calcio
        US San Savola         3–3 Virtus Redoccio

Serie Nazionale          Pld  W  D  L  GF  GA   GD  Pts
 1 Catrallo Calcio         6  5  0  1  20   8  +12   15
 2 FC Pesari               6  5  0  1  14   4  +10   15
 3 Virtus Redoccio         6  4  2  0  21   5  +16   14
 4 Sportiva Montelcampo    6  4  1  1  15  10   +5   13
 5 Esca Unione             6  3  1  2   8   6   +2   10
 6 Pro Stampano            6  2  2  2   3   3    0    8
 7 Inter Catrallo          6  1  4  1   4   6   −2    7
 8 Robur Astello           6  1  3  2   9   8   +1    6
 9 US San Savola           6  1  1  4   6  12   −6    4
10 Fagli Cinquanta         6  1  0  5   4  16  −12    3
11 Madonna Nottori         6  0  2  4   6  19  −13    2
12 SSD Borgonovo           6  0  2  4   4  17  −13    2

We don’t know what happened either but that’s a bizarre set of results. Did someone decide to play with mixed teams? A simple draw between Nottori and Borgonovo, both just too poor to escape the bottom of the table, was no surprise. It wasn’t exactly boring, but simply amateur hour from the two clubs. And that Inter Catrallo eventually would grab a win was a matter of time, especially against a Fagli that has things to reconsider after a fifth consecutive loss. Immediately after the game, it was announced that coach Laghi’s third stay with the club ended on this note after only six games. Not that unexpected and we’re sure he’ll be back some day. But what the hell happened at Corsa Quersia? The derby of San Bonifazio became an intricate duel when Celli opened the score early on. FC Pesari played well, looked good but failed to convert time and time again. Eventually Zanoni got them that deserved goal, but as Celli knocked in a second, they got no reply. Oh, you can take the knocked in literally, quite a glaring handball. Still, Sportiva walked off with three points and where would they be without that bizarre loss against San Savola last week?

I’ll tell you where they would be. At the bloody top of the table for the first time in years, but not after another series of hiccups on Sunday. US San Savola had tanked confidence last week and played an out-of-character amazing opening half with 2-0 up at the break against a flustered Virtus. In all honesty, we haven’t seen the best Salvatori yet and it starts to become a problem for them. The goals from Canova and the infiltrations from Bagheria seemed to rectify their little situation but then Paolo La Rosa, 31 years old and known for nothing and no goals despite a small decade in the US line-up, decided to try his luck from thirty yards out and scored a potential goal of the season. Some days… Still, a draw is a point more than Catrallo who dropped the ball proverbially against the neighbours. Esca Unione will particularly enjoy this one after De Prete had announced in the papers that Unione’s status as the surprise package was a bit overrated. Balanced game and a fair winner. It’s hard to pick a star in the Esca line-up but Crilese, Sgarbi, Albertoni, … All players in their early twenties who are ready for the step up. You would almost forget there was a third duel on Sunday. Well, we did.

[San Ortelio]

MD7

Sat 18h Sportiva Montelcampo  4–2 Pro Stampano
        Virtus Redoccio       2–0 FC Pesari
        Inter Catrallo        0–1 Esca Unione
Sun 15h SSD Borgonovo         1–4 Fagli Cinquanta
        Robur Astello         0–2 Madonna Nottori
        Catrallo Calcio       3–1 US San Savola

The first big clash did not deliver as anticipated as Virtus came out of the game as a clear winner. Maybe this just wasn’t the day for Pesari, but it didn’t spell success for I Pappagalli that throughout ninety minutes, they’ve only managed to endanger Evacuo once. It became a battle of the midfields and today, it was won by Fabrizio Confalonieri who kept Favaro on the leash. Additionally, Salvatori is slowly getting his engine turning, as evidenced by a marvellous backheel assist from Stramaccioni. In the shadow, the two results from Saturday confirmed the duo which can hang on to the Big Three. Esca Unione did not have their best game this far but appeared mature and efficient in the box through a Baiocco header. The Sportiva game became far more entertaining as an early Pambianco brace forced Stampano out of their comfort zone. In all fairness, Pro wasn’t even that bad but chasing the early deficit proved too hard.

On Sunday, Catrallo Calcio made no mistake and even managed to field a few reserves in what was an easy victory over San Savola, so the excitement was for the bottom of the table. Fagli Cinquanta took the pitch lead by Romuelo Ledero, again. Ledero, the only stable element in the staff and the assistant already for ages, is the go-to when the gaffer has been given the sack for the umpteenth time. Against SSD, Ledero opted for five new names and a christmas tree formation. This truly became a shot in goal, literally, as they scored in ninety minutes as often as in the first six games. We’ve even seen glimmers of the promise from Lorenzo Tosi, could this be a new start for his career? To make matters worse for Borgonovo who were on the receiving end of the pummeling, Nottori managed a surprise win against Robur. Harsh truth out there - Robur do have a problem when they’ve got to direct the play.

MD8

Fri 20h Pro Stampano          1–0 Madonna Nottori
Sat 18h Sportiva Montelcampo  1–1 Virtus Redoccio
        US San Savola         1–0 Inter Catrallo
        Fagli Cinquanta       3–1 Robur Astello
Sun 15h FC Pesari             1–2 Catrallo Calcio
        Esca Unione           1–0 SSD Borgonovo

That doesn’t mean that Madonna is off to a flying start, yet they could have managed to drag a point out of their confrontation with Stampano. Captain Roberto Trasciano pushed his side to three points with a header but also knows they’re not using their full potential yet. Or “it was utter shite”, as he eloquently phrased it after the match. Similar sentiments were recorded amongst the Robur supporters who saw their side run into a well-deserved defeat at the hands of Fagli. It is said that owner Renzo Di Callare has offered stand-in Ledero triple his wage to stay on, but the 72-year old still claims “it’s just temporary, I’m too old for this”. Fact is that we saw a disciplined but efficient Cinquanta, topped off with a marvellous Ghidotti screamer. That other bottom team US San Savola won as well, pushing Inter Catrallo in a bit of a crisis. They’ve only scored four goals so far, raising the pressure on striker Saligari. Even if manager Fezzardi wants to replace him, there are ample options on the bench.

But most heads were turned on Saturday by the draw from Virtus at the field of Montelcampo. And if we’re being honest, the sole side that deserved to win was the home club. An abysmal game against USSS aside, they’ve been top notch all year long and the progress made by 23-year old Ercole Mazzone deserves a mention. Whilst maybe not nominally, it does give a bit of a dud to the title ambitions from Redoccio. Especially as their nemesis Catrallo Calcio did not skip a beat and bagged win number seven, despite the tough fixture at Pesari. It’s games like this that make Gianmarco Del Prete rise above himself and his passing formed a continuous menace. As the cherry on top, he scored the second one through a brilliant free kick, making the late score by Bortolotto one for the statistics. It is a clear statement by Calcio that they’re still the favourites. The analysts must admit, it’s nearly impossible to find their weak spot. It makes it even more worthy of our attention that the only ones who did so far are Esca, who picked up another tidy three points.

MD9

Fri 20h Robur Astello         1–3 Esca Unione
Sat 18h Inter Catrallo        0–4 FC Pesari
        Madonna Nottori       0–3 Fagli Cinquanta
Sun 15h Catrallo Calcio       2–1 Sportiva Montelcampo
        Virtus Redoccio       0–0 Pro Stampano
        SSD Borgonovo         0–0 US San Savola

And the train really is rolling for Unione. Luigi Delphi got himself a versatile squad as shown against Robur. Despite a wrought-up opponent, Unione kept it together. The reliable axis made them stand tall, with Tozzuolo and Albertoni as the machine room in midfield, the complementary Moscati and Crilese behind them and revelation Jacopo Burrai, still only 22, on goal. With the knowledge that the podium spots are not a given and three consecutive losses in key games behind their name, FC Pesari couldn’t afford a loss. Inter got trashed but the writing is on the wall: are I Pappagalli bottlers in the big games? At times like these, too many eyes seem to be on Favaro. In the shadows of the reminiscing over Pesari, the dream from Fagli and stand-in Ledero keeps on rolling. As the top six, and the Serie A spot, suddenly appears at the horizon, the owner refuses to contact a different coach whilst the man himself claims he will step down during the winter and preferably earlier.

All that excitement got rolled up into a single game on Saturday as Catrallo continued their streak against Sportiva. Yet, they didn’t get it for free. After a pinball situation in the box, Di Cosmo got Sportiva in front and Calcio needed an hour of their very best to turn a dire situation straight. Whilst the endurance from Montelcampo deserves praise and this game only underlined why they’re closing in on the top three, it was a showcase on what the best Catrallo Calcio can do. Fast movement of the ball, sapping the legs of the opposition and then hitting it inside the box with precision. The winner, a combination over twenty-seven passes, was a thing of beauty. It mildly obscured the other two games which were no source of joy. SSD scraunched a point through unsightly football and can already start thinking about how they make this mess better next year. And Virtus had a frustrated afternoon against a Pro Stampano that came for one point only. Even Orazio Canova, the uncrowned king of making an opportunity out of a half a metre of space, couldn’t load his cannon. The gap is five points now, making the clash of next week extra spicy: losing is no option for Virtus.

MD10

Fri 20h Pro Stampano          2–1 Fagli Cinquanta
Sat 18h Sportiva Montelcampo  2–1 Inter Catrallo
        US San Savola         1–2 Robur Astello
Sun 15h FC Pesari             4–1 SSD Borgonovo
        Esca Unione           2–0 Madonna Nottori
        Virtus Redoccio       4–3 Catrallo Calcio

But before we could put our attention to the confrontation between the nation’s two most successful sides, the ‘Derby di San Ortelio’, we saw quite some goals. Even Pro Stampano decided to chase the goal. In a fixture which was not anticipated to be a key issue for the Serie A qualification, Ugo Cianci finally got his first goal of the season. It’s a comforting thought as the veteran striker claimed the comparison with the ketchup bottle, “you slam it, you slam it, nothing comes until suddenly, they start flying in”, but Pro Stampano still have a lot of work on the agenda: they’re far from the side that aspired to tickle the Big Three. On Saturday, Sportiva confirmed once more that they actually do claim that status with a clean win over Inter. Piero Fezzardi is now at four losses in a row and with a visit from Virtus on the agenda, things are looking bad for his position. Agusta, the Robur visitor, got his seat cooled down a little with a difficult win at San Savola. Gozzi did bang in another rocket but they seem overly reliant on the quirky striker.

Sunday, the day we had all waited for. The press had done their bit to write up the atmosphere by claiming it was a now-or-never moment for Emilio Salvatori. Could he put his foot next to La Leggenda? Or would he forever be remembered as the friendly understudy of Del Prete? After forty-five minutes, the balance tilted in the advantage of the latter, with the man himself setting up the returning Spadoni before scoring the 1-2 himself. Minute 53 proved to be pivotal. In the build-up to a free kick for Virtus, there was a skirmish in the box and suddenly the referee singled out Giuseppe Rocca for an alleged elbow. Without a cornerstone of their defence, Calcio slowly fell apart and eventually Flavio Stramaccioni got the unorthodox winner with ditto celebration. He slided in a low cross head forward before rubbing his junk against the post in jubilance. “They’re just a bunch of cunts,” he voiced charmingly. “We’ve been robbed in plain daylight,” Calcio manager Anza proclaimed himself and so this match only raised the pressure. Amidst the havoc, you would almost forget that Pesari ruined Borgonovo into the ground and that Esca Unione got themselves in second position, a first in their history. Almost.

MD11

Fri 20h Inter Catrallo        1–3 Virtus Redoccio
Sat 18h Catrallo Calcio       1–0 Pro Stampano
        Madonna Nottori       0–2 US San Savola
Sun 15h Fagli Cinquanta       2–1 Esca Unione
        Robur Astello         1–5 FC Pesari
        SSD Borgonovo         1–2 Sportiva Montelcampo

Serie Nazionale                Pld  W  D  L  GF  GA   GD  Pts PtsG
 1 (1 ) Catrallo Calcio         11  9  0  2  31  15  +16   27   12
 2 (3 ) Virtus Redoccio         11  7  4  0  31  10  +21   25   11
 3 (2 ) FC Pesari               11  8  0  3  28  10  +18   24    9
 4 (4 ) Sportiva Montelcampo    11  7  2  2  25  17   +8   23   10
 5 (5 ) Esca Unione             11  7  1  3  16   9   +7   22   12
 6 (6 ) Pro Stampano            11  4  3  4   8   9   −1   15    7
 7 (10) Fagli Cinquanta         11  5  0  6  17  21   −4   15   12
 8 (9 ) US San Savola           11  3  2  6  11  17   −6   11    7
 9 (8 ) Robur Astello           11  2  3  6  14  22   −8    9    3
10 (7 ) Inter Catrallo          11  1  4  6   6  17  −11    7    0
11 (11) Madonna Nottori         11  1  2  8   8  27  −19    5    3
12 (12) SSD Borgonovo           11  0  3  8   7  28  −21    3    1

The visit to Inter was a well-timed interlude for Virtus. After their notorious victory over ten of the city rivals, the trip to an Inter which is going through the desert was scheduled as a walkover. Still, it took over seventy minutes to distance themselves from the club in crisis and it required a bizarre yet spectacular overhead kick from Paride Risolo. Then again, a win is a win. The same opinion got voiced by Catrallo Calcio where the frustration over last week was still running high. Pro Stampano tried the same trick that earned them points against Redoccio but the gaffer forgot to program a back-up plan for if and when the double wall lost sight of Carmine Garofalo who scored one of the easiest goals of his career. And in the category, a win is a win, San Savola kept their dreams of the Serie A alive with an uncharacteristically efficient victory over Madonna: two decent chances leading into a two-niller. Not without goalie Giandonato, it must be said, who defined the difference between the two sides.

FC Pesari seems to have found back their spirit with a third consecutive clear win. Whilst the annihilation of Robur could not put to rest the worry that they’re not where it’s at in the major setup, it did silence the concerns about their scoring abilities. The introduction of youngster Denis Spaviero, who is now at three goals this season without a single start, did lift the spirits quite a bit there. Elsewhere, Montelcampo bagged their seventh win already but the win over Borgonovo lacked their usual flair. It’s now the consensus that SSD really falls short for the Serie Nazionale with only a player or four worthy of the level, so you should not need a late score from Pambianco to distance yourselves from them. The last result is potentially the most surprising one as Fagli Cinquanta managed to take Esca Unione down from cloud number nine with a hard-fought but correct result. It’s a mystery what kept Lorenzo Tosi from playing like this but since Ledero is at the wheel, he’s decisive, swift and punishing every week. His assist for the winner from Faini showed a vision only possessed by a few San Ortelians in this game.

[San Ortelio]

MD12

Sat 18h Fagli Cinquanta       3–3 US San Savola
        SSD Borgonovo         0–2 Virtus Redoccio
        Madonna Nottori       0–1 FC Pesari
Sun 15h Pro Stampano          3–3 Esca Unione
        Inter Catrallo        0–2 Catrallo Calcio
        Robur Astello         1–2 Sportiva Montelcampo

After an off week, we’re getting back to speed with three games which brought goals but not on the grounds we expected. Virtus Redoccio did dispose of Borgonovo but sometimes efficiency is just plain boring. This does not look like a title side. The same, or worse, could be said about FC Pesari. I Pappagalli have a bit of a complex when it comes to the big games but if you need 84 minutes to kick the ball past the Nottori goalie, you’re in trouble. Big time. So we had to turn our attention to the Fagli game and well, they did not disappoint. Ledero kept true to his promise so eventually a new gaffer was found in Agostino Giuntelli, a known journeyman. He opted for an attacking 4-2-2-2 against San Savola and only got stopped from cashing in three points by Christian Valeri, the gentle giant from the visitors.

Apparently Stampano and Esca saw that game as well and were like, ok, we can do that. It comes as a bit of a surprise from the home squad who have been struggling in front of goal all season already, with Cianci and Santoro making the nets tremble only for the third and second time respectively this season. Some consider their chemistry, a key element these last few seasons, to be history. No such problems in Catrallo where Carmine Garofalo single-handedly won the derby, chalking up number fourteen and making a decent claim to capocannoniere this early in the season. Lastly, Robur Astello failed to overturn the spotted record from the hometeams this weekend. It’s the fifth loss in the last six weeks and even if missing out against a Sportiva in good form can happen, things start to get heated in the dressing room. Striker Romeo Gozzi ignored the manager when being replaced and simply stepped into the stands to leave via the side exit...

MD13

Sat 18h Inter Catrallo        0–0 Pro Stampano
        Virtus Redoccio       1–2 Robur Astello
        Sportiva Montelcampo  4–0 Madonna Nottori
Sun 15h Catrallo Calcio       4–2 SSD Borgonovo
        FC Pesari             1–0 Fagli Cinquanta
        US San Savola         1–0 Esca Unione

...but maybe he just did that to make an entrance through the main gate one week later? Virtus had been unbeaten so far but Romeo Gozzi decided to end that streak with the kind of performance which makes you wonder why Robur is so far down the league. Mirarchi and Pina, usually a reliable pairing, could not stop Gozzi on his way to a brace. When the notable striker slid his second past Evacuo, he celebrated by ripping out the corner flag and… Well… Are children reading this? Either way, down to ten, Astello had to survive a few more tough minutes but Virtus seemed too shocked to recover. “The ref is a sad little man who wanted to bask in my attention,” Gozzi mentioned afterwards, giving the board of referees who decide on the amount of weeks on the sin bin just a little more to think about. No wonder that after such a game no one was bothered anymore with a scoreless draw or Sportiva wrecking Nottori through a cosmetic performance from Federico Celli.

And to be fair, nothing on Sunday topped off that Virtus game even though Catrallo Calcio did its best to shake up things. Halfway through, Borgonovo found themselves in the lead against a Catrallo that had lined up some reserves - a pretty strike from Spizzichino, we must say. But fifteen minutes later, all was back to normal when Spadoni unleashed his might. A satisfying sight for the Calcio fans as the striker hadn’t been himself since his injury and a reassuring recovery with a sight on the business end of the competition. The other two games provided little excitement yet a good story each. FC Pesari did not improve from their Nottori game on the scoreboard but can look back at two dozen opportunities held by Scardina who picked a notable occasion for a personal best performance. And Esca Unione made a surprising stumble in Dietro Barrache as Samuele Marigu scored an important yet strange goal for US: a blind header which hit both posts before disappearing behind a stunned Burrai.

MD14

Sat 18h SSD Borgonovo         0–2 Inter Catrallo
        Esca Unione           0–2 FC Pesari
        Madonna Nottori       1–3 Virtus Redoccio
Sun 15h Pro Stampano          1–0 US San Savola
        Fagli Cinquanta       0–2 Sportiva Montelcampo
        Robur Astello         1–4 Catrallo Calcio

And suddenly revelation Esca find themselves in a bit of a drought with just one point in their last four games. Whilst they previously seemed rather unlucky, they simply got outclassed tonight by FC Pesari. I Pappagalli played solid across the board and celebrated the starting debut of Denis Spaviero, the youngster who pushed Laghi to the bench with his fourth strike of the season. It puts some spotlights away from Lanzafame who conceded only three goals in his last seven games. The notably quiet yet efficient goalie is keeping his side in the title race. In that same race, Virtus tried to regain some confidence after the painful home defeat from last week but the performance against Nottori wasn’t much to look at. With four new names between the lines, they still looked a little lacklustre and were lucky to chalk up three points through Canova. Whilst the stats from the striker look good with eleven roses, they tend to come in batches and against weaker opponents. Teams such as Borgonovo who even can’t round up a strong performance. The resident lefties played academic football for fifty minutes, but a Gorini screamer shut them up.

The three expected winners on Sunday, led out by Catrallo Calcio who found no match in Robur Astello. Without Gozzi, the black-and-white are only half a team and the ease with which Calcio could walk through their defensive line was laughable. An opportunity for Ferri to stand out, but mostly a painful reminder that a win in the upcoming game is needed next week to stay in the race for the Serie A. With Romeo Gozzi still out for two weeks, that’s quite a challenge. In that competition for the first six, an important three points were gained by Pro Stampano. The nation’s resident yawnfest lived up to their reputation. After an early penalty goal by Cappa, who grew into a leading role despite being only 21, the Postmen morphed into a double wall which the US could not scale. Last but not least, Fagli is definitely back off cloud nine with Giuntelli failing to make his man make a fist against Sportiva.

MD15

Fri 20h SSD Borgonovo         0–0 Pro Stampano
Sat 18h FC Pesari             1–1 US San Savola
        Inter Catrallo        1–0 Robur Astello
Sun 15h Sportiva Montelcampo  2–1 Esca Unione
        Catrallo Calcio       5–1 Madonna Nottori
        Virtus Redoccio       4–2 Fagli Cinquanta

The Postmen shoot themselves in the foot after a few relatively prolific weeks with a depressing draw at Borgonovo. In a game where there were no winners, it remains stunning how a pretty good collection of football players such as Pro can produce such disappointing football. Luckily for them, there still is a five-point gap or the Serie B would be a fitting spot to reside after the regular competition. US San Savola did their best to scale that gap with a solid game in Pesari. Starting late due to a downpour, the football was not spectacularly good. This was even more outspoken in Inter - Robur, where the referee kicked off amidst the torrential rain to give two sides known for their physical style a peculiar battleground. It was not football but it was… Entertaining? Not sure how you call a game with three reds, nine yellows and a bizarre overhead kick from Eros Fidanza to seal the deal.

People who are here for the goals had to wait till Sunday which was larded with one-sided affairs. Madonna Nottori naively tried to stand their ground against Catrallo but the home side unpacked that present with a smile. A floating shot from Del Prete in the top corner was the nicest one of the batch. Redoccio could and maybe should have scored as many, but looked a bit sloppy in the box. As such, Fagli managed to give themselves a bit of confidence with a visit from Calcio lined up next week. The best game of the weekend, as such, was Montelcampo against Esca. The pitch at Corsa Quersia still was ruined over yesterday’s match, but it didn’t halt Esca and Sportiva to bring their A-game. Unione got in front when youngster Sgarbi volleyed it past Pino, but the red-and-white got the last laugh as Pambianco and Di Cosmo decided the match.

MD16

Fri 20h Madonna Nottori       2–5 Inter Catrallo
Sat 18h US San Savola         1–1 Sportiva Montelcampo
        Fagli Cinquanta       1–4 Catrallo Calcio
Sun 15h Robur Astello         1–0 SSD Borgonovo
        Pro Stampano          0–3 FC Pesari
        Esca Unione           0–2 Virtus Redoccio

The end is near and each point becomes valuable. As such, the draw from Montelcampo at San Savola came as a bit of a surprise. After years of trailing behind, the Robins finally seem ready to give the Big Three a decent run for their money. A fine tactical ploy, no glaring weakness in the line-up and a positive dressing room, they’ve got the whole lot. But you can’t afford a draw like this in that situation, with Valeri saving a deserved point for US. “It will get us sharp for next week,” coach Tumellero assured with the clash against Pesari already in mind. In the meanwhile, Catrallo has now won six in a row since losing to Virtus. For the analysts, it is clear that their consistency, the sheer absence of a ‘bad day’ makes them that little bit better than the others. Neighbours Inter are also enjoying a good streak, with a decent disassembling of Nottori on Friday. Slowly but surely, they’ve dragged themselves back in the league.

Alarm bells over Pro Stampano on Sunday as the Postmen stumble at home against FC Pesari. Stumble? Rather get kicked aside by a better side. Spaviero continues his rise through the ranks with a nifty opener and the weakness from Pro Stampano, their inability to get creative shows. Iotti is going through a mediocre season and there’s no one in the line-up capable of picking up his role. A similar game in evolution is the one by Esca. The code from Luigi Delphi seems to have been cracked and Virtus looked dominant throughout. With the Unione midfield overpowered, they suddenly seem less exciting and a technically apt opponent can then make use of the all-in-all average quality of the defence. Lastly, Borgonovo suffers a loss and no one is surprised. It is a noteworthy goal nonetheless as it is scored by Fabio Ferri, the goalie who came forth for a free kick in the business end.

MD17

Sat 18h Robur Astello         2–1 Pro Stampano
        SSD Borgonovo         4–1 Madonna Nottori
        Inter Catrallo        1–0 Fagli Cinquanta
Sun 15h Virtus Redoccio       2–0 US San Savola
        Sportiva Montelcampo  1–5 FC Pesari
        Catrallo Calcio       3–2 Esca Unione

Serie Nazionale               Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts  PtsG
 1 (1 ) Catrallo Calcio        17   15   0   2    53   22  +31    45    18
 2 (2 ) Virtus Redoccio        17   12   4   1    45   15  +30    40    15
 3 (3 ) FC Pesari              17   13   1   3    41   12  +29    40    16
 4 (4 ) Sportiva Montelcampo   17   11   3   3    37   25  +12    36    13
 5 (5 ) Esca Unione            17    7   2   8    22   22    0    23     1
 6 (6 ) Pro Stampano           17    5   6   6    13   17   −4    21     6
 7 (10) Inter Catrallo         17    5   5   7    15   21   −6    20    13
 8 (9 ) Robur Astello          17    5   3   9    21   31  −10    18     9
 9 (8 ) US San Savola          17    4   5   8    17   25   −8    17     6
10 (7 ) Fagli Cinquanta        17    5   1  11    23   36  −13    16     1
11 (12) SSD Borgonovo          17    1   4  12    13   38  −25     7     4
12 (11) Madonna Nottori        17    1   2  14    13   49  −36     5     0

Romeo Gozzi is back in town and if you didn’t know it, he made sure. Robur Astello seemed out of the Serie A race at the halfway point but with a stellar performance, they made the race wide open once more. This was the Robur that can make a claim to fame: ruthless, relentless and Romeo up front. ‘Il Bimbo d’Oro’ decided the game by slamming his laces through a weary cross. His production ain’t unique but it just seems as if he can’t make an ugly goal. Astello is not the only side that is breathing down the neck of the Postmen as Inter Catrallo ensured a clinical home win against Fagli. A tense game with high stakes, but an artistic combination between Dotti and Scirea tilted the match. After the last whistle, Cinquanta owner Di Callare fired the manager once more and reinstated caretaker Ledero, without the latter knowing so. It’s a weird club. A bit forgotten, but Borgonovo gave Nottori a heavy blow in the battle against relegation, with a painful brace of owngoals by Fusco.

Still, the surprise result of the weekend came on Sunday with Pesari handing out a lashing to Sportiva. About everything that could go wrong went wrong for the home side. Di Cosmo missing an early sitter and Bortolotto scoring on the counter, goalie Pino whacking himself out against his own post and Sarcinella getting red inside the penalty box for a late tackle: it’s hard to recover from 0-2 with ten players. Time will tell if this is just a one-off occasion, but they’re stranded now with a bit of a gap and will have to stunt in the Serie A if they want to turn the tables. Especially with Virtus and Calcio not skipping a beat. Redoccio graciously set aside San Savola, with Stramaccioni scoring that important opener to break the spirits. Lastly, we finally saw the Esca spirit rekindled. Even though the side from Delphi had to succumb to Catrallo Calcio and an efficient Garofalo, they looked far better than their substantial drop across the table would suggest.

[San Ortelio]

MD18

Sat 18h Pro Stampano          0–1 Sportiva Montelcampo
        Madonna Nottori       0–1 Robur Astello
        Fagli Cinquanta       0–0 SSD Borgonovo
Sun 15h FC Pesari             1–0 Virtus Redoccio
        US San Savola         0–1 Catrallo Calcio
        Esca Unione           1–3 Inter Catrallo

The casual bystander ogling the score lines might believe that this was the most disappointing of match days. However, there was more than what meets the eye here. After about four weeks into the competition, six clubs got clear and have occupied those positions ever since, giving the battle for the Serie A a subpar show. But this weekend, the impending collapse from Stampano and Esca took shape, assuring us of four remaining thrillers on the agenda. Especially Pro Stampano starts to look as if they won’t get out of the hole they dug. Their football switched from slightly bland to simply uninspired and it is no secret to anyone that you can put them with their backs against the wall if you score first, which Mazzone did in emphatic fashion for Sportiva on Saturday. A tap in from Gozzi ensured the same result for Astello on the Nottori pitch and so both sides now hold 21 points. As if Pro Stampano does not have woes enough, they still have two visits to top clubs on their agenda.

That opens up a huge window of opportunity for Inter Catrallo. Looking on their way to the tail end of the table halfway through the competition, Inter recovered properly with a solid series of games. It’s difficult to pinpoint a stand-out player but some credits must go to manager Fezzardi who decided to be more lenient in his application of kick-and-rush. Adding Gallicardi and Aymo to the line-up, two players who prefer the build-up, has served them well as showcased against Esca. Could Unione be in danger of missing the Serie A after such a flying start? The clash between Virtus and FC Pesari got decided by youngster Denis Spaviero. It is going fast for the striker, a true poacher who gives his team some confidence to take on the big games, but we must add that Virtus missed a slightly injured Salvatori. And so, it might be Catrallo Calcio that profits most of that clash despite a lacklustre performance against San Savola. In the end, a spectacular Pompa save on a Valeri header was needed for the Navy to triumph once more.

MD19

Fri 20h Madonna Nottori       0–2 Pro Stampano
Sat 18h Inter Catrallo        1–0 US San Savola
        Robur Astello         3–1 Fagli Cinquanta
Sun 15h Catrallo Calcio       1–1 FC Pesari
        SSD Borgonovo         0–4 Esca Unione
        Virtus Redoccio       3–3 Sportiva Montelcampo

Stampano coach Gaverzasi might have a foot out the door already, but he remains on board another week after a simple, yet efficient win over collective punching bag Nottori. Still, few would put their money on him lasting till the end of the season. For Fagli, the forced return of Ledero has not been the miracle the owner was vouching for, with Robur underlining the difference in quality. Cinquanta simply has no Maurizi, no Varoli and definitely no Romeo Gozzi amongst their ranks. Astello jumps into the top six with this result, making a wild rodeo to the top of the table in the trail of Inter Catrallo, a side that showed maturity against San Savola and Giovanni Saligari remains a good forward for this league. At the age of 29, we’ld be surprised if a team still scoops him up during the next transfer window, but he possesses the lethal instinct required to push a side to a higher level.

Pressure on Esca Unione, as such, but the side from Luca Delphi managed to put a stop after a series of eight winless games and it was a full stop for sure. The Baiocco brace was nice but could we see a good result against Borgonovo as enough to regain confidence? To their advantage, the remaining calendar looks soft, which puts them back into Serie A modus. Speaking of which, one would almost forget we witnessed a ‘Super Sunday’ with FC Pesari forcing Catrallo to only their third loss of points of the year. Calcio started off best, with an attentive Del Prete but lost their composure when a long-distance shot from Favaro trembled the net. The title favourites recovered after tea, but not enough for three points. But the spectacle was to be witnessed at Dietro Baracche where Virtus and Sportiva showcased potentially the best ninety minutes of the season. Fast football with opportunities back and forth but the last word was for Andrea Pambianco who ensured both teams got less than they deserved: one point.

MD20

Fri 20h FC Pesari             0–0 Inter Catrallo
Sat 18h Esca Unione           1–0 Robur Astello
        Pro Stampano          0–0 Virtus Redoccio
Sun 15h Fagli Cinquanta       3–3 Madonna Nottori
        US San Savola         0–0 SSD Borgonovo
        Sportiva Montelcampo  3–2 Catrallo Calcio

The clock is ticking now, mistakes cannot be made and every point is valuable. That string of clichés definitely counts for Inter Catrallo, who manoeuvred themselves back in the picture but are now confronted with a tough schedule - Pesari, Sportiva and Virtus - to stay afloat. As such, they will not be too disappointed with a draw against I Pappagalli. Goalie Roscioli might not be the most subtle - current tally, seven yellows - but he did splendid tonight for a goalless draw. Pro Stampano managed the same result against Virtus and admittedly did it with the same tactical ploy, a double wall which makes a proper catenaccio look like an offensive strategy. It should worry Redoccio that they couldn’t even dent the blue lines. And so, Esca Unione is the uncontested winner of this matchday. For long, this had the allure of another pair of glasses (0-0) but Alberto Sgarbi defied gravity to surprise Ferri in the final minutes. The young midfielder might not score too often but does have a penchant for beautiful goals.

For those football fans who actually like seeing goals it was a wait till Sunday but boy, was that one worth it! Sportiva placed themselves on the map as title candidates with a stunner against Catrallo. More important than the actual victory was that Tumellero managed to outwit Calcio and impose his dominance on them - something we haven’t seen in quite a while! Yep, I’m resorting to exclamation points here, this was something special. Picking a single standout man is hard but Celli (a brace), Sparandeo (a menace on the wing) and Castorani (fierce against Garofalo) deserve a mention. “We’re not worried,” Calcio manager Anza claimed but the sweat was visible on his brow. We cannot be too bothered with the two remaining duels, but it should be noted that the hattrick from Di Pasquale was the first for Nottori in the history of the Serie Nazionale.

MD21

Fri 20h Fagli Cinquanta       0–0 Pro Stampano
Sat 18h Catrallo Calcio       0–0 Virtus Redoccio
        Madonna Nottori       1–3 Esca Unione
Sun 15h Inter Catrallo        3–3 Sportiva Montelcampo
        SSD Borgonovo         0–3 FC Pesari
        Robur Astello         0–1 US San Savola

Things are going from bad to worse for Pro Stampano. Could the Postmen really miss out on the Serie A? Fact is that they appeared lacklustre against Fagli, seemingly missing the spark to make the difference. We could coin that a decent striker is needed, and pronto! Especially as the fifth ticket for the competition got handed out to Esca Unione a day later. The team from Delphi knew a serious fall during the away round but fought their way back into form across the last few weeks, just in time for the second half of the season. Wingers Sgarbi and Falzerano give this squad a bit of spice, but it's just generally a solid side that does the extra mile for their teammates. One almost would forget that top dogs Virtus and Calcio faced off but the blame for that fully fell to the teams themselves. Both managers seemed too focused on avoiding a loss to bring the attacking playbook along.

The battle for the sixth and final Serie A ticket will be a two-horse race as Robur Astello fails to grab the points at their home pitch against San Savola. As Pisano scored a screamer against the course of play, the game devolved into a brawl with two Robur players getting sent off and defender Giulotti trashing the reserve bench. Of course we’ll miss Astello in the Serie A. Who might be there is Inter Catrallo, but they failed to convert the chance given. Against Sportiva, they got in front three times but the visitors clawed themselves back in the game time and time again with playmaker Ercole Mazzone playing a key role. They should have marked him a bit better, really. Captain Cecchin pointed to the nerves but that doesn’t negate them shooting themselves in the foot, really. In the background, FC Pesari capitalized on the draw yesterday to give themselves a last chance to win the regular season…

MD22

Fri 20h FC Pesari             1–0 Robur Astello
Sun 15h Pro Stampano          1–7 Catrallo Calcio
        Virtus Redoccio       2–1 Inter Catrallo
Sat 18h Sportiva Montelcampo  4–1 SSD Borgonovo
        US San Savola         1–1 Madonna Nottori
        Esca Unione           0–2 Fagli Cinquanta

Serie Nazionale          Pld   W   D   L   GF   GA   GD   Pts  PtsG
 1 Catrallo Calcio        22  17   2   3   64   27  +37    53     8
 2 FC Pesari              22  16   3   3   47   13  +34    51    11
 3 Sportiva Montelcampo   22  14   5   3   51   34  +17    47    11
 4 Virtus Redoccio        22  13   7   2   50   20  +30    46     6
 5 Esca Unione            22  10   2  10   31   28   +3    32     9
 6 Inter Catrallo         22   7   7   8   23   27   −4    28     8
 7 Pro Stampano           22   6   8   8   16   25   −9    26     5
 8 Robur Astello          22   7   3  12   25   35  −10    24     6
 9 US San Savola          22   5   7  10   19   28   −9    22     5
10 Fagli Cinquanta        22   6   4  12   29   42  −13    22     6
11 SSD Borgonovo          22   1   6  15   14   49  −35     9     2
12 Madonna Nottori        22   1   4  17   18   59  −41     7     2

… and they get themselves in the lead for at least one day with a simple but clean win on the last Friday match. Overall, I Pappagalli showed themselves ready to pick up the glove for the title, with Lanzafame, Mazziero and Venturato forming the strongest defensive block of the league. Still, there could be too much pressure on youngster Spaviero to knock in the goals, unless Roberto Pella finds his form. One day later, they know who will be their opponents in the Serie A. Inter failed to win a point but showed Virtus why they would make a worthy opponent at that level. The Strawberries needed a fluke shot from Stramaccioni - no, he did not intend that outside the box backheel volley - to get past a courageous Inter. Courageous and celebrating as news had travelled fast from Corsa Quersia that Pro Stampano took a painful beating at the hands of Catrallo Calcio. We can point to Garofalo knocking in four but it was just Pro playing godawful. Gaffer Caverzasi faced the anger of the fans, but his whole team should have a long, hard look to themselves during the off season. There is too little movement, too little guts.

The collapse from the Postmen drew away the attention from the Sunday games, which still deserve a bit of a glance. Montelcampo came out victorious and there is no one who says they cannot trump the Big Three for the second time in their history and become champions. It’s a solid side, which Tumellero brought to the top level. San Savola shows why they have never really been in the mix for the Serie A by dropping points in Nottori. There's decent youth there but it needs a few more years to grow into something. We round up the regular season with a remarkable result as in form Esca failed to show up against Fagli. Did they celebrate too much last week? Or just a really good game by Tosi, the Jekyll and Hyde of Cinquanta?

25 goals - Carmine Garofalo (Catrallo)
17 goals - Orazio Canova (Virtus)
14 goals - Romeo Gozzi (Robur)
13 goals - Andrea Pambianco (Sportiva)
11 goals - Davide Spadoni (Catrallo)
10 goals - Giovanni Saligari (Inter)
9 goals - Federico Celli (Sportiva), Dennis Spaviero (Pesari)
8 goals - Emmanuele Bignami (Fagli), Roberto Pella (Pesari), Ercole Mazzone (Sportiva)
7 goals - Gianmarco Del Prete (Catrallo), Flavio Stramaccioni (Virtus), Alessandro Tozzuolo (Esca), Christian Valeri (San Savola)
6 goals - Francesco Bagheria (Virtus), Alessio Di Masi (Catrallo), Andrea Di Pasquale (Nottori), Stefano Falzerano (Esca), Giacomo Favaro (Pesari), Alberto Sgarbi (Esca), Lorenzo Tosi (Fagli), Sandro Zanoni (Pesari)

[San Ortelio]

Coppa delle Stella - Opening Round
US San Savola         1–0 Juve Redoccio
Astello Mare          1–2 Madonna Nottori
Royale Catrallo       2–3 Orsi FC
PRIND Razzi           2–2 Fagli Cinquanta
Gruppo Compatto       2–0 Barezzi Calcio
SSD Borgonovo         0–0 Catrallo Athletic
Fratelli d'Anezzo     2–2 Politecnica Foot
Motori Vitale         2–3 Vittorio Club Pesari

The opening round of the domestic cup tournament always provides for a few interesting underdog stories and this year was no stranger to that. The one that turned the most heads was the comeback from PRIND Razzi. PRIND, short for something which roughly translates to ‘For the Protection of our Rights’, acts as a footballing spokesperson for the small number of Kitari who live near the northern border. Even till today, they are not always taken as full members of the community and they try to get themselves on the map through a variety of initiatives, including PRIND. Two goals down and only with ten left, they looked done by halftime but two late strikes earned them the right to a rematch, quite an affront for the professionals at Fagli. Also condemned to another ninety minutes of football is SSD Borgonovo. Their opponent Athletic are known giant killers in the Coppa and lived up to the expectations - Borgonovo reserve goalie Mosca saved the day with a penalty stop.

Madonna Nottori made it through more easily then the results will tell you, with Trillo and Simone Scrugli scoring one goal each in what should have been a blowout. In the dying seconds, Mare managed to get one past the otherwise decent Nobile but it was too late to make it a real match. And next to all these shenanigans, there were three young players that made a name for themselves. San Savola improved their academy and showcased a new finished product in 18-year old Giovanni Letti, a crafty midfielder. Applause also was heard for Luigi d’Annunzio, who managed a hattrick for Vittorio Club Pesari at the age of 20. And Orsi FC, well on their way to grab the title in the amateur division, placed a few of their brilliants in the shopping window, most notably defender Carlo Qualla: sturdy, mobile, modern and only 19 years of age.

Serie A - MD1
Catrallo Calcio       3–2 Inter Catrallo
FC Pesari             1–0 Esca Unione
Virtus Redoccio       1–3 Sportiva Montelcampo
Serie B - MD1
Madonna Nottori       0–0 US San Savola
Robur Astello         3–2 Pro Stampano
Fagli Cinquanta       1–2 SSD Borgonovo

The Serie A kicks off with a derby between the ultimate underdog of the series and the side that possesses the best hand to lift the trophy. The stampede of Stampano on the final match day of the Serie Nazionale gave Calcio that little boost and within minutes, Inter were two goals down due to Agostinone and the inevitable Garofalo. Many sides would have thrown the towel in the ring but Inter made a statement that they are not here just to make up the numbers. It did not result in points but based upon this game where they pushed Calcio till the last whistle, they can play an important role in the title battle. A battle that seems to be on route to be a three-way battle but not between the three sides expected as Virtus Redoccio suffered an off-day. The criticism on Emilio Salvatori grew substantially of late but whilst he indeed has not turned up sufficiently this year (only scoring four goals so far, a personal low), the team simply relies too much on his moments. They still want to play a role in the Serie A, but the knife will be on the throat from now onwards. And so FC Pesari walked away with the best feeling this season. Esca Unione is known as a tough nut to crack and I Pappagalli needed seventy minutes to do so, but the eleven of Giorgio Guerra never looked in danger of conceding and could count on Giacomo Favaro when things got tough.

In the Serie B, the drama of Pro Stampano continues - alas, it will go on from now forwards without gaffer Sergio Caverzasi who at last paid the price. Pro kicked off aiming for the Challenge Cup tickets but even LBCT is not a lock after only six wins in 23 games with him at the wheel. Romeo Gozzi, author of a brace evidently enjoyed his role as hangman. Also of note, the win by Borgonovo, who grabbed only their second win of the year with a Spizzichino strike.

Coppa delle Stella - Opening Round Rematch
Fagli Cinquanta       3–3 PRIND Razzi (4–4 AET) (4–3 pen.)
Catrallo Athletic     4–2 SSD Borgonovo
Politecnica Foot      2–1 Fratelli d'Anezzo

It doesn’t mean that SSD is now out of the starting block. What Athletic forgot to do last week, they managed now with a clear defeat of the Serie B team. The hattrick by Cappelluzzo, one of those players from Athletic who deserves a chance at a higher level, marked their faith. And they were not the only top tier club that struggled tonight. Fagli got behind twice against PRIND but a controversial offside goal got them a needed equaliser. After one goal each in the extra time, it came down to a nailbiter in the penalties with Elia Scardina triumphing with two stopped spot kicks. The last qualifier is Politecnica, an up-and-coming side from the main engineering high school that disposed itself from known name Fratelli after one-hundred-and-eighty tense minutes.

Serie A - MD2
Inter Catrallo        3–3 Sportiva Montelcampo
Esca Unione           4–4 Virtus Redoccio
Catrallo Calcio       4–4 FC Pesari
Serie B - MD2
US San Savola         0–0 SSD Borgonovo
Pro Stampano          2–0 Fagli Cinquanta
Madonna Nottori       0–1 Robur Astello

Welcome to the Festival of Goals! There are two ways to look at the performances in the Serie A. Some will lick their fingers over the thought of twenty-two goals in only three games, others will note that not a single team can be truly satisfied with just one point earned. However, Inter might not be the one to complain. The purple side played without any sign of fear and Sportiva struggled to match their omnipresence. Three-lunged Fidanza and the elegant Scirea stood out for the home squad but in the last fifteen minutes, it looked like they ran out of steam, allowing Di Cosmo and Sparandeo to grab their side a point. Changing odds were also par for the course in Esca versus Virtus. Redoccio looked ready to start ‘Operation Return to the Title Fight’ in style with two quick goals, but when Pinna earned red for hammering a kneecap, Unione went up and over. We cannot applaud the work of manager Delphi enough and let’s hope the group sticks together because they might take next steps next season. The last laugh, however, was for Orazio Canova. There has been some criticism of Canova, still only 22, for only scoring ‘the easy ones’ but with this brace, he showed up at a difficult moment. The final festival came between Calcio and Pesari. Both sides showed why a title would suit them: Del Prete is a genius on his day especially with the firepower of Garofalo to his disposal, whilst the diamond 4-4-2 from FC really clicks well and means danger from various sides now they found a striking duo in Spaviero and Pella. We can assume we saw the new San Ortelian champion in that game, but who will it be?

With games like this, the Serie B really feels like an afterthought. This year, however, provides a spicier edition as it is not only attempting to avoid the relegation play-off spot but also trying to punch a ticket for international football. For those two LBCT berths, Robur Astello took a proper step forward with (another) Gozzi goal. Fagli Cinquanta, on the other hand, missed their start as evidenced by an abysmal game against an opponent managed by a caretaker.

Serie A - MD3
FC Pesari             2–0 Inter Catrallo
Virtus Redoccio       3–1 Catrallo Calcio
Sportiva Montelcampo  3–0 Esca Unione
Serie B - MD3
Robur Astello         0–1 US San Savola
Fagli Cinquanta       1–0 Madonna Nottori
SSD Borgonovo         1–1 Pro Stampano

It is quite possible that we witnessed a crucial game in the build-up. Virtus Redoccio not only grabbed their last chance but did it with gusto. Emilio Salvatori might not have played his most prolific season so far, but tonight he was the dominant force on the pitch. Calcio, so confident so far, suddenly looked fragile with Del Prete caught in the web of midfield duo Confalonieri and Fazio. The game could have gone different if Spadoni bagged the 1-2 just after tea, but it was Virtus that scored in the counterattack and Calcio never recovered. “It’s a matter of details,” coach Anza tried to explain it away, but the reality is that Catrallo loses the first spot to FC Pesari. I Pappagalli did have the right opponent in Inter to tank confidence, but the quality stood out. Are Guerra’s boys on their way to a left-field triumph? Or could Sportiva turn out to be the third dog with seven points out of their last three confrontations. Oliviero Tumellero saw a masterclass of the 3-4-3 he designed, with an industrious midfield simply squeezing the life out of their opponent. Andrea Pambianco scored another brace, making him slowly but surely hard to ignore for the national team manager.

The Serie B continues to underwhelm with three lacklustre games on the agenda. Daniele Gagliano earns some credit for scoring the sole goal against Robur after a monumental rush, whilst Stampano gets another mediocre result. The cat is not yet out of the bag on their new manager, but the choice would be between Lizzino - the current U21 coach - and the illustrious Errice Baldini, known for his animated press talks and tendency to overturn the whole selection upon arrival. But knowing Pro as the most boring side in town, we’ll have to wait for another team desperate enough to sign Baldini, whose main successes predate the Serie Nazionale era.

Coppa delle Stella - Second Round
Vittorio Club Pesari  2–1 Gruppo Compatto
Inter Catrallo        0–0 FC Pesari
Madonna Nottori       1–3 Esca Unione
Politecnica Foot      2–1 Fagli Cinquanta
Pro Stampano          0–0 Virtus Redoccio
Orsi FC               2–5 Catrallo Calcio
Sportiva Montelcampo  3–2 Catrallo Athletic
US San Savola         1–2 Robur Astello

Everyone is in the draw and no one is protected. That means you can sign up for a few good clashes and the one between Inter and Pesari should have been one of those. But in the second confrontation in a week, the teams tactically opted for a stalemate, despite knowing this just signs them up for a third ride. Virtus didn’t get much further than a scoreless draw either against Stampano that desperately tries to salvage their year in a deep cup run, but hasn’t been dealt an easy hand. As the big names clash, this opens up inways to the latter stages for smaller sides. Vittorio Club will be rooting for FC to beat Inter as a quarterfinal derby would indefinitely cement their status as the second club in town. A side with some historical record, they’ve seen some black snow in recent years but now slowly return to the pinnacle of the amateur ranks.

The second amateur team to punch above their weight will be Politecnica. The Engineers could always rely on a steady stream of youngsters but currently try to make sure that after completing their education, they stick around. The result is a vibrant side of rash, enthused players, a harsh contrast with what Fagli brings these days. Lorenzo Tosi got benched over some internal squabbles, but what remains is drab. This club needs a new start, you would say, but they’ve already taken four of those only this season. Maybe next year? Apart from those stories, the limelight was for the inevitable Garofalo who added another hattrick to his record this year to eliminate Orsi, Sportiva youngster Delleda who grabbed his chance coming off the bench to score the winner against Athletic and - of course - Romeo Gozzi. The maverick had been locked up earlier that week against the same US but now dazzled the opposition. The winning goal, a far strike piercing through the goal of Giandonato, was a thing of beauty.

Serie A - MD4
Inter Catrallo        0–1 Esca Unione
Catrallo Calcio       1–0 Sportiva Montelcampo
FC Pesari             0–0 Virtus Redoccio
Serie B - MD4
US San Savola         0–2 Pro Stampano
Madonna Nottori       2–5 SSD Borgonovo
Robur Astello         1–4 Fagli Cinquanta

Are the nerves starting to play up? Fact is that we saw a closed affair in the Serie A. Ahead of the clash between FC and Virtus, there had been some discussion in the press upon who will be the long-term challenger of Catrallo Calcio - a squabble which held a bit of sadness as ‘wanting to be the second-best’ mainly reminds everyone that neither of them is the king of this castle. The game itself continued with bad, and eventually, literal blood. Neither team carries a nasty reputation but with Confalonieri knocking over Favaro after fifteen seconds, the tune was set. The teams drew but the football fans lost, in the end. If there was a man of the match, it was Pesari goalie Lanzafame with another solid performance, whilst Salvatori had to leave the game early over a nasty knock in the ribs. As such, Catrallo Calcio jumps back up and over FC, even if the victory against Sportiva was meagre at best. For once it was not Carmine Garofalo but his brother in arms, Davide Spadoni, who decided the game. Despite his goal record, Spadoni remains in the shadow of Garofalo, a position of which it is rumoured that he had quite enough. With this duo of games already on them, few really bothered about Inter ruining their shot to get away from last spot. Albeit quite entertaining throughout the last few weeks, they did not show up against the men from Delphi and Baiocco decided on the end result.

For once, we turned our heads to the Serie B for entertainment and it did deliver. First there was the debut of Baldini with Stampano. The aging showman opted for a remarkable 3-6-1 but, credit where it is due, they did catch San Savola by surprise. For Robur, things went south after only twenty minutes. Gozzi missed a pass by Sassi, the latter complained and before he knew it, Christian Sassi was caught up in a knucklefight with his own striker. Romeo Gozzi contradictingly claimed it “was just a minor misunderstanding but he had it coming” so it might have been the last of Christian Sassi we’ve seen in a Robur shirt. And then we’ve even ignored the spectacular win by SSD, scoring five in a single game after making 17 in 25 games, that’s quite a thing. A thing that puts Nottori in the corner, as the relegation play-offs come agonizingly close for ‘Il Cavalli’.

Coppa delle Stella - Second Round Rematch
FC Pesari             0–0 Inter Catrallo (0–0 AET) (6–5 pen.)
Virtus Redoccio       2–0 Pro Stampano

Two very different games. Both Virtus and Pro played with the vigor of a side knowing that losing is not an option, but when the going got tough, the automatisms from Virtus (and a cheeky goal by Bagheria to open the score) made the difference. For Stampano, all hope is now on the LBCT tickets. The duel between FC Pesari and Inter, on the other hand, looked quite different. I Pappagalli knew very well that the waiting game suited Inter, who kept nine men behind the ball and a lonely Saligari up front to keep two opponents occupied. Twenty-two shots on goal (versus one for Inter) later, it still was nil-nil. A mediocre game from Pella and Spaviero? A great one by Roscioli? Potentially a bit of both, but the goalkeeper slash nightclub bouncer could not make it a man-of-the-match performance on the penalties as everyone scored, but Inter defender Perini.

Serie A - MD5
Virtus Redoccio       1–0 Inter Catrallo
Sportiva Montelcampo  1–2 FC Pesari
Esca Unione           2–2 Catrallo Calcio

                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   CO   Pts
1 FC Pesari               5    3   2   0     9    5   +4   16    27
2 Catrallo Calcio         5    2   2   1    11   11    0   17    25
3 Sportiva Montelcampo    5    2   1   2    10    7   +3   14    21
4 Virtus Redoccio         5    2   2   1     9    8   +1   13    21
5 Esca Unione             5    1   2   2     7   10   −3   10    15
6 Inter Catrallo          5    0   1   4     5   10   −5    7     8

And again, the tables turn - this Serie A has been a rollercoaster so far. Catrallo Calcio dropped the ball at a place where they did not expect it. The visit to the neighbours from Esca had been chalked up as a victory already when Del Prete curled a free kick around the wall, but Unione fought back, twice. Stefano Falzerano celebrated his determining score with just that little more as he is a Calcio reject who regained his mojo in the black and red shirt. This surprise result puts FC Pesari back in the hot seat but they had to work hard for that. Still a bit sore-legged after 120 minutes against Inter during the midweek, the midfield quality determined the difference between winning and losing. Attilio Quintarelli has evolved from a youngster into a cornerstone over the course of the last twelve months and in front of him, Zanoni and Bortolotto make up a lot of ground. Neither will be on the lips of those looking for the ‘best’ player of the league, but they play such an important role in the execution of this tactical scheme. And then there is Giacomo Favaro who, on days like this, lifts himself to the level of Del Prete as the ‘big number ten’, a distinction nearly the same as ‘the best footballer in the country’ through the eyes of the San Ortelian fans. With these results, people barely noticed that Virtus took their final chance at a title fight via Stramaccioni. It hasn’t been a stellar year for Redoccio but this week put them back in it.

Serie B - MD5
Fagli Cinquanta       0–1 US San Savola
SSD Borgonovo         1–1 Robur Astello
Pro Stampano          3–0 Madonna Nottori

                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
1 Pro Stampano            5    3   1   1    10    4   +6    10
2 SSD Borgonovo           5    2   3   0     9    5   +4     9
3 US San Savola           5    2   2   1     2    2    0     8
4 Robur Astello           5    2   1   2     6    8   −2     7
5 Fagli Cinquanta         5    2   0   3     6    6    0     6
6 Madonna Nottori         5    0   1   4     2   10   −8     1

If we are talking about last chances, there is one team nearing one of those already. Madonna Nottori looks well on their way to a set of relegation duels and with the level of the amateur sides being quite high, this could well be not your regular walkover. The game against Pro illustrated this perfectly. The Postmen are still searching hard for their best way under Baldini, but the naivety in the back cost Madonna two easy goals and with someone like d’Ambrosio up front, you’re not going to bridge that gap. The fight for the two LBCT tickets is far more intense, with even Borgonovo in the mix. In five games, the team from Chiesa won as many points as in the complete Serie Nazionale. It’s not to say that his methods are working, but it gives a bit of shine to the so often bleak NutriPe factory club.

[San Ortelio]

Coppa delle Stella - Quarterfinals
Vittorio Club Pesari  0–4 FC Pesari
Esca Unione           1–3 Politecnica Foot
Virtus Redoccio       0–0 Catrallo Calcio
Sportiva Montelcampo  3–0 Robur Astello

Four games, four different stories. Well, you could say that’s always the case, but don’t spoil a perfectly good opening line. The first top level Pesari derby in ages… Did not deliver. The gap between the pro and the amateur level got highlighted a good bit, with FC Pesari not even pushing the pedal to the metal to grab an easy win. Or are I Pappagalli just so good these days? For those dreaming about a Cinderella story, hold on thou! “I’m not entirely sure what happened,” Esca manager Delphi admitted afterwards as his team got 0-2 down after four minutes against surprise package Politecnica. The college boys not only managed to put goalie Jacopo Burrai in a rarely seen fury - kicking his goal post for twenty seconds straight included - but also hung on to their lead despite Unione doing their utter best. The volley goal from Sgarbi brought hope but a last-minute counter from Foot pushed the knife just a little deeper.

The clash between Virtus and Calcio, always a loaded duel, got a little more grim as fans from the visitors got caught up in a fight. Albeit there were no serious injuries, Calcio captain Del Prete made a statement explaining that “he not only wished to win this game, but also to push those low-lives back to the Serie B where they belong”. Yeah, that really took the edge off. The game itself was a bit of a slapstick pub brawl - not the first one Virtus gets caught up in this season. Some miles down the road, Sportiva dominated Robur with match hero Alberto Di Cosmo. Known for his back-and-forth form, he showed up at the exact right time to put the ball past Ferri twice. It leaves a Final Four with three absolute top sides (even if one name remains unsure) and amateur outfit Politecnica.

Serie A - MD6
Inter Catrallo        4–4 Catrallo Calcio
Esca Unione           0–2 FC Pesari
Sportiva Montelcampo  0–0 Virtus Redoccio
Serie B - MD6
US San Savola         0–0 Madonna Nottori
Pro Stampano          1–1 Robur Astello
SSD Borgonovo         1–1 Fagli Cinquanta

Inter Catrallo so far failed to play the key role they aspired to in the Serie A, but with an impressive derby result, they might have put an important nail in the coffin of the Catrallo title ambitions. Il Viola did it with their usual weaponry, a lot of pressure, a lot of movement and a cheeky fault when it is needed. And also when it is not really needed, but the referee is looking the other way. Top that off with a stellar game by Giovanni Saligari, the strong man up front and you get a difficult night for Catrallo. Gianmarco Del Prete was hors categorie again but that did not pay off as his passes and corner kicks were scored, but also his defenders did not deliver. Especially Rocca had a rough night out and Pompa did not look too well either. Both are at the wrong side of thirty and an easy victim for those aspiring the club to rejuvenate. So, a draw, that is great for Pesari but you still have to convert it yourself. Esca Unione still appeared a bit shellshocked over the Coppa drubbing and Pesari were their professional selves. With only four games left on the agenda, they finally can voice their title aspirations. Especially as the two outsiders, Virtus and Sportiva, denied one another a last title shot in an exceptionally boring game.

Madonna Nottori tried to kickstart ‘Operation Staying Afloat’ with only their third clean sheet of the year. Goalie Nobile is one of the better (or less awful, your call) elements in the line-up but if the offensive unit of his team plays like this, it doesn’t really help them forward. All-in-all, no one was really helped with these three Serie B games. All clubs believed that three points and an important step forth to the LBCT were on the books, but all got confronted with their shortcomings. Poor.

Coppa delle Stella - Quarterfinals Rematch
Catrallo Calcio       3–3 Virtus Redoccio (4–3 AET)

It’s dangerous to call a game ‘the best one of the year’, especially as I think we all did that before this season. But this one was lit. Emilio Salvatori so far had a mixed season but stood out tonight with two goals and a few strokes of genius, whilst Gianmarco Del Prete managed to underline his nickname of La Leggenda in between the kind of showboating one does not expect in a very tight game. What made the difference then in the end? The bit that does it all season long already for both. Carmine Garofalo caught the Virtus back four out of position on a quick succession of counters and the capocannonieri of the season showed why he is such a feared striker.

Serie A - MD7
Sportiva Montelcampo  3–2 Inter Catrallo
Virtus Redoccio       1–0 Esca Unione
FC Pesari             3–3 Catrallo Calcio
Serie B - MD7
SSD Borgonovo         0–1 US San Savola
Fagli Cinquanta       0–4 Pro Stampano
Robur Astello         3–2 Madonna Nottori

Going into the game with a four-point gap to their disadvantage, the knife was on the throats from the team of the capital. However, Catrallo Calcio could count on a genuine confidence boost after the Coppa quarterfinals and quickly got in the lead. 0-2 at the break and a wide open title race for Anza and his boys. But then, FC Pesari demonstrated why a title for I Pappagalli would be a deserved one. First, they took over possession, then they managed to bring more players in the box. Being relieved of that pressure, youngster Spaviero scored. On top of that, Pesari showed mental strength to overcome a Mascolo goal against, quickly replying with Favaro striking it past Pompa. With the clock against them, FC started to push their tiring opponent and eventually managed to put that important equaliser against the net. Not by doing rash, but by relying on what coach Guerra has drilled them for. The unlikely goalscorer was Giancarlo Laghi, pushed back to supersub over the rise of Spaviero but - a testimony to the quality of Guerra - ready to step up when needed. In the shadow of the monumental match between the two hegemons, the Challenge Cup tickets got punched by Sportiva and Virtus, not just mentally but also mathematically. Inter played with as a team with nothing to lose and delivered an entertaining ninety minutes, but Montelcampo and striker Celli eventually ran away with the three points. Esca Unione fought hard for their last chance, but Virtus did their utter best to give a stubborn appearance, grabbing a win they did not really deserve.

In the Serie B, the faith of Madonna Nottori looks sealed as they finished their twenty-third official game in a row without a victory. As too often, it was not the intentions that were off as the players still wanted to fight for survival, but Robur was smarter, fitter and could rely on a proper striker. If they want to stay afloat, their sole chance might be Fagli Cinquanta. They’re technically in their fifth managerial stint right now and again, it goes nowhere. Stampano, looking more composed each week, could have put a few more past Scardina if they wanted to. The problem with Cinquanta, we start to think, might be their players.

Serie A - MD8
Inter Catrallo        0–1 FC Pesari
Catrallo Calcio       2–0 Virtus Redoccio
Esca Unione           4–1 Sportiva Montelcampo
Serie B - MD8
US San Savola         1–0 Robur Astello
Madonna Nottori       1–0 Fagli Cinquanta
Pro Stampano          0–0 SSD Borgonovo

One step closer to the fifth Serie A title for FC Pesari and I Pappagalli made no mistakes, although some nerves were showing in the opening half. Inter Catrallo opted for a fairly cynical approach, waiting for FC to make the first move and the visitors struggled a bit to undo the knot. It gives them credit that they eventually did so on their own force, with Spaviero adding another goal to his remarkable tally already. In theory, that could have been enough for the title but Catrallo Calcio remained determined to take it to the last second, even if they needed a heated game against Virtus to do so. Redoccio had an appetite for revenge after the earlier Coppa loss and played with a lot of heart. Yet, there seemed to be that little bit of class missing to really poke the Calcio-bear and its clinical finishing. If they will remain behind without a title, it will not be the lack of goalscoring that signed their faith, that is for sure. Especially as the future seems assured with Pier Luigi Vitali, the promising teenager who scored his second goal in only his fourth substitution appearance. And so number one and number two on the table seem to be assured, but the battle for third will be wide open till the final whistle as Montelcampo made a rare stumble at the hands of Esca Unione. Even if the ticket to the Challenge Cup is no longer open, or maybe just because of that, as there was no pressure on Unione whatsoever, the side from the most western tip of the country got a victory with a certain panache.

In the Serie B, there were only two goals but each had its significance. The one that caught most eyes was a true beaut by Davide Trillo. The youngster saw a fair bit of black snow with this abysmal Nottori outfit but scores after a marvellous Winter-Olympics-worthy slalom to give Madonna the fighting chance they (possibly) don’t deserve. It must be said that Fagli, slowly collapsing like a flan in a cupboard these days, didn’t really fight back enough. Could Madonna Nottori overturn the odds and send Cinquanta to the relegation battle? The second goal, a header by Valeri, placed US San Savola at an equal footing with Pro Stampano for the Serie B title. Both teams are now in a good position for an LBCT ticket or could surprise package Borgonovo still pip one of them on the line?

Coppa delle Stella - Semifinals
FC Pesari             6–1 Politecnica Foot
Catrallo Calcio       2–1 Sportiva Montelcampo

Politecnica had a fine run for their money but FC Pesari was having none of their fairytale run. With a harsh but correct drubbing, they send the kids back to college for another round of studying. All of the six goals were scored by different players, showing the versatility of the squad. Suddenly, they are not only eyeing a title, but also a double could be on the books. I Pappagalli will have to get past Catrallo Calcio to achieve such a rare feat, we must add. The trophy hoarders of the domestic competition disposed of Sportiva far easier than the result suggests. Is this business end of the competition the stretch too far for Tumellero and his troops? The ease with which they were set aside by Garofalo and Moreschini goals seems to suggest it…

Serie A - MD9
Esca Unione           1–0 Inter Catrallo
Sportiva Montelcampo  3–2 Catrallo Calcio
Virtus Redoccio       2–0 FC Pesari
Serie B - MD9
Pro Stampano          1–0 US San Savola
SSD Borgonovo         3–2 Madonna Nottori
Fagli Cinquanta       1–0 Robur Astello

But apparently that’s far from true! Back on their home pitch, Montelcampo got a sweet revenge with a stunning opening half against Calcio, denying the latter the chance to come from behind and snap up the title on the final match day. Sportiva started an uncharacteristic 5-3-2 but it paid off as Calcio could not handle the movement in the centre and saw themselves three goals down by the break. Pambianco, author of two of those and the industrious Buglia deserve a bit of extra credit for this result. However, Calcio came out of the dressing room eager to change things around and when Garofalo quickly found the net, just that seemed to be possible. A cavalcade of shots on goal did not get them more than a single goal, with a standout role for the often overlooked Pino. And so it is FC Pesari that can celebrate a title, even if they have to do it off the back of a loss against Virtus. Whilst they were not always flawless in the start of the season, FC Pesari has been the one amongst the four stronger sides in the league that managed to make the biggest development, materializing in a very consistent Serie A showing. Losing there only on match day nine is widely considered as a proper feat. The team is well-rounded and deserves this honour. Although we have our winner, there are still three candidates for the second spot. Calcio only needs a point to grab that but if they falter at home against Esca, they might see themselves pipped to the line by Virtus or Sportiva.

For the Serie B, the penultimate match also composes the decisive one in most respects. Fagli Cinquanta grabbed a much-needed home victory against a Robur that ran out of steam lately. It wasn’t a nice game, or a good game or just ninety minutes someone would want to watch, but it does mean that Cinquanta returns for another round. As such, Madonna needs to prepare themselves for the relegation play-off - the deserved loss against SSD doesn’t bode well. At the top end of the table, Pro and US played a game that was actually worth its money, even if the scoreline doesn’t tell. Stampano regained a bit of a dash, ensuring the Serie B title with an economical win.

Serie A - MD10
Inter Catrallo        0–2 Virtus Redoccio
FC Pesari             5–2 Sportiva Montelcampo
Catrallo Calcio       4–2 Esca Unione

                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   CO  Pts
1 FC Pesari              10    6   3   1    20   12   +8   16   37
2 Catrallo Calcio        10    4   4   2    26   23   +3   17   33
3 Virtus Redoccio        10    5   3   2    14   10   +4   13   31
4 Sportiva Montelcampo   10    4   2   4    19   20   −1   14   28
5 Esca Unione            10    3   2   5    14   18   −4   10   21
6 Inter Catrallo         10    0   2   8    11   21  −10    7    9

The final matchday didn’t matter much to them anymore, but FC Pesari offered their fans a beautiful homecoming for the trophy. With the kind of performance that underlines their power, they shove aside Sportiva. Defensively sound and with an industrious and inspired midfield, this Pesari managed to overcome their difficulties in the attacking compartiment. In part due to the rise of young Dennis Spaviero, in part due to the midfielders putting it up a notch and getting those goals in. This is truly a well-rounded team, yet still with the possibilities to improve. An extra striker is needed to have a decent showing in the IFCF and with many clubs, national and international, trying to get hold of someone in that defensive axis, the technical director will be the first one back to work whilst the rest celebrate.

Four points down, Calcio managed to get rid of Esca Unione and assure the second spot. For all other clubs, this would be a success in what has been a highly competitive edition of the Serie A, but not for the club from the capital - so expect some pressure on Mario Anza. The unrest has received some extra firewood as rumors start to linger that Gianmarco Del Prete, the absolute superstar and linchpin of Catrallo for the last decade, aspires to start an international adventure. It would mean a serious overhaul of the club tactics and the start of a new chapter in their rich history.

Virtus wins with some ease against Inter to park themselves in third but potentially enter the offseason with the most worries of the Big Three. The line-up looks good in theory, but for a group in their prime, they falter too often at the crucial moments. Especially the loss in the Coppa sits badly with the Redoccio fans. And with only four players under twenty-six in the main squad, the call for renewal resounds loud and clear. However, the question is whether they have the financial leverage to outwit the others and snap up the many talents which have bloomed this year.

Montelcampo ends the season with mixed feelings. In itself, they can be very proud that they’ve not only grabbed a Challenge Cup ticket, but also managed to stay on an equal footing with the Big Three for most of the season. Most, but not all as they had to let go in the final stretch. Yet, Oliviero Tumellero can look back at a strong season for his team. If they can keep this group together, there is potential for a title attack but with clubs lining up to assure themselves of the services of Buglia, Castorani and Di Cosmo, that will be a hard ask.

With eleven points won out of a potential thirty, Esca Unione definitely played their part in the Serie A. A token of the potential there is and a result of hard work. Coach Luigi Delphi already knows that next season will be another one of replacing stars by new unhoned diamonds. More specifically Alberto Sgarbi is said to have already signed elsewhere. Still, we should give Unione a nice summer to enjoy what they’ve accomplished as apart from a weak stretch in the second part of the Serie Nazionale, they put up a fight in each game and often walked away with points.

The same cannot be said about the Serie A run from Inter Catrallo. Il Viola knew that it would be an uphill battle but simply showed too flawed to really compete at this level. They did so with more attractive football than before, so there are two ways open for Fezzardi. Either he falls back to the old kick’n’rush, hoping to break a few kneecaps along the way. Or he remembers that the more fluid style was what brought them in the highest tier in the first place and tries to fit in more inspired players in the line-up for next year.

Serie B - MD10

US San Savola         5–2 Fagli Cinquanta
Robur Astello         4–2 SSD Borgonovo
Madonna Nottori       0–1 Pro Stampano

                        Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
1 Pro Stampano           10    6   3   1    17    5  +12    21
2 US San Savola          10    5   3   2     9    5   +4    18
3 SSD Borgonovo          10    3   5   2    15   13   +2    14
4 Robur Astello          10    4   2   4    14   15   −1    14
5 Fagli Cinquanta        10    3   1   6    10   17   −7    10
6 Madonna Nottori        10    1   2   7     7   17  −10     5

With a victory over Nottori, not something to be really proud of, Pro Stampano manages to add a Serie B title to their collection, yet it will be a minor silver lining in what has been an overall disappointing season. Apart from being dull, they too often were simply weak for a side aspiring for a strong Serie A appearance. They desperately need a new set of strikers, to start with. Yet, there is hope on the horizon. Baldini did get his team to play better and with Trasciani and Cappa, there is a backbone that offers potential in the longer run.

The second LBCT ticket goes to US San Savola and that is, all in all, a strong result for the financially limited side. Veteran Oscar Fincato did it again, making a group without big names a real team that functioned when needed, even if not always too prolific. What’s more is that they possess a few promising youngsters that could be turned into decent money if they want. Will San Savola try to convert that talent into hard cash or would they want to build upon those guys to aim for a Serie A finish in the future? Time only will tell.

Third in the Serie B after a single win in a whole Serie Nazionale… It’s difficult to explain this record to people who don’t follow SSD Borgonovo up close. The management has given Diego Chiesa time, despite the poor start, to slowly build and develop his players and without any stand-out performer, they did move up in the world. Add a proper striker in that mix and the dirty communists could actually be further from the bottom of the league next year.

One of the sides that ends the season disappointed, despite a concluding win, must be Robur Astello. It’s a club which hinges on one player and that player is too often unhinged. Look, we all love Romeo Gozzi and his antics, if he’s not playing against our favourite team, that is, but when will too much be too much? Will the management further chain themselves to the erratic striker, hoping that he finds a bit of consistency? Or do they take the jump into deep, disposing themselves of the sole reason they remain away from the relegation battle?

If that sounds like a difficult task, spare a thought for the management of Fagli Cinquanta. All in all, there have been six different stints in management, albeit three by the same caretaker, Ledero, who sailed the ship to safer waters. But it’s just abysmal that a club with some means cannot do better than this sad jojoing between the bottom spots and ‘just a bit higher’. Who will be given the reigns to clean out the stables and form an actual team of this ragtag bunch? And will Lorenzo Tosi, the most creative but also most fragile of all, find mercy in the eyes of that man?

At the bottom, as feared and anticipated, we find Madonna Nottori. Two wins in thirty-three competitive fixtures. It’s just a really weak team.

Coppa delle Stella - Final
FC Pesari             0–0 Catrallo Calcio (0–0 AET) (3–4 pen.)

The highlight of the season, the final battle to determine whether FC Pesari can consider themselves the ultimate top dogs of the table or if they must accept to share the praise with Catrallo Calcio. Both sides started with quite some anticipation, although the title relaxed the legs of Pesari quite a bit. As such, they were a bit better in the opening half with good opportunities for Favaro and Pella, but neither got themselves on the scoreboard. As the game flowed, Catrallo got a good opportunity as well but Lanzafame stood tall on two strikes for Garofalo.

Going into the extra time, both sides opted for caution and it nearly became a useless half hour. That was until Del Prete sent Carmine Garofalo one-on-one with Enrico Lanzafame with the referee already looking for his whistle for the last three blows of the game. Garofalo ended the year with the ridiculous total of 40 goals in competitive games but couldn’t add another one as Lanzafame made an exceptional stretch to thwart the lob from the striker. On to the penalties and the Pesari goalie got a second chance to make himself a hero when he pushed the effort from Agostinone out of danger. However, both Bortolotto and Passuello cracked under the pressure, hitting the post and the stands. This allowed Gianmarco Del Prete to score the winning penalty. A bittersweet score for Catrallo fans as La Leggenda confirmed his desire for an international transfer after winning his side a ninth trophy in a decade.

Relegation Duel
Madonna Nottori       1–0 Orsi FC
Orsi FC               2–2 Madonna Nottori

And that would have been the end of the season if it were not for the relegation play-offs. The main controversy of this duel, however, did not occur on the pitch. Before the first game, it became known that Nottori had offered amateur player and Orsi striker Roberto Tebaldi a three-year contract. It is not uncommon for pro teams to pry away the better elements of the amateur side, but the timing and choice - Orsi missed their other key striker over an injury - gave the whole transfer a very dirty smell. In the end, FC Orsi appeared without Tebaldi, setting up a good fight but one they lost after all. Davide Trillo became the hero of the evening, scoring a brace in what surely must have been his last appearance for Madonna considering the number of courters for the young winger. He formed the spark in a duel that opened up two debates. One in Nottori about how on earth they will avoid becoming the designated punching boy next season. And a wider one in the footballing cosmos of San Ortelio, about how to better structure and protect the amateur sides.

[San Ortelio]

Season Intro - Season 16

The management meeting in the office of the San Ortelio Confederatione Calcio Extra-Regionale quickly devolved into a heated debate. Due to the nature of the voting system, it was not rare that the traditional split in three factions became visible at once. First of all, there are the big hitters Virtus, Pesari and Calcio - who get, for unclear reasons usually followed by the ambitious but far less prestigious Pro Stampano - who voiced their dissatisfaction at the requirement that the hefty improvement of the television contract had to be split in even parts across all teams.

The smaller professional clubs, from their side, showed dissatisfaction that the cash for IFCF appearances would go to the teams, without at least a bit of expenditure moving into the pockets of all pro clubs. This especially as the previous agreement on this, with Serie B winners moving to the LBCT competition, had been refused by the IFCF, resulting in a gap in the profits for the smaller clubs. It goes without saying that this painful error by the FA officials only added to the discomfort.

The amateur sides, from their part, lamented - as each year - the difficult entry into the top tier. That the play-offs had been a farce last season, with Nottori buying top amateur Orsi ahead of their confrontation had not been helped. These yearly squabbles were projected to end as per the yearly custom: the big clubs managed to give the smaller pro teams a bit of what they want, the twelve professionals closed the ranks and so the amateur clubs, about a hundred in number were left behind. It is important to stipulate that the SOCCER only unites a part of the football landscape, with various smaller youth, work or amateur leagues scattered across the country - some even holding a longer history than the national organisation.

But this year, the Big Three decided to switch sides and approached the amateur clubs. The latter were satisfied with any financial deal as they would be out of the picture anyway if the access to the top tier remained so restricted. This resulted in the following key decisions.

• In the first part of the season, the round-robin system of the Serie Nazionale will remain, containing twelve teams. The amateur ranks, however, will not be streamed towards a cup tournament which sees a single winner move to the play-offs but will have regional round-robin leagues from which twelve clubs (3 from San Bonifazio and San Pancrazio, 2 from the other three regions) will be promoted to the Serie Regionale. This Serie Regionale will be contested in two groups of six, single round robin. The two victors of the groups will be credited with LBCT berths. The twelve teams qualified for the Serie Regionale will also be those that qualify for the first round of the Coppa delle Stella.
  
• The format of the Serie A remains untouched, with the top six of the Serie Nazionale competing for the domestic title in a double round-robin tournament. The carryover of one point per win remains. However, the Serie Nazionale winner will be assured of the best Challengers’ Cup berth, even if that team would drop out of the top four.
  
• Serie B will change in format. Instead of containing only the latter six of the Serie Nazionale, they will now be supplemented by the two winners of the Serie Regionale. These eight teams compete in a single round-robin, with a point of advantage per position above the 12th from the Serie Nazionale. If the best-placed amateur team finishes in the top six of this tournament, they will replace the lowest ranked professional club next year in the Serie Nazionale.
  
• From next summer onwards, it will no longer be possible to make a free signing of an amateur player. A sum will need to be paid which is in relation to the number of years said player appeared in this amateur outfit. [Calculation found in appendix IV].
  
• Professional clubs will be allowed to sign a maximum of twenty-two professional players. They can also have a Primavera side with up to eighteen players between the ages of 16 and 21. These players can be moved up to the professional group at any point of the season. However, professional players can only play 8 (if under 21), 5 (if under 23) or 3 games (others) of the Serie Primavera - a double round-robin league which administers playing in the Rising Stars Cup. In the second half of the season, it are these Primavera sides who will represent the pro clubs in the regional cup tournaments.
  
• The Coppa delle Stella remains untouched with the exception that there is a maximum of two replays. If the third game, on neutral ground, does not return a winner within ninety minutes, the two clubs immediately progress with penalties.
  
• The augmentation of the television contract will be distributed in the same proportions as the original contract - numbers based upon the league performances of the last five seasons. However, a tier of 20% of the improvements will be assigned to the improvement of the stadium facilities across the nation. A same tier of 20% of all international profits will be distributed to the same cause.

[San Ortelio]

Madonna Nottori

Your favorite team if...
A true fan is determined by how he stands by his side in case of a loss, you think.
And this club offers you plenty of opportunities to do so.
Nottori makes losing kind of fun. If you’re really, really into it.

The Details

Home Stadium   Dietro Baracche (3000 seats)
Nickname       Il Cavalli (the Horses)
Manager        Giuseppe Gremio
Sponsor        Elegante (cooking ware)
Since          S6
Won            Nothing, it’s Nottori
Region         San Mamerto

The Off-Season

It had been a dreadful twelve months for Nottori, with the grand total of three victories across thirty-five competitive fixtures. And then the one player for whom you would come to the stadium, Davide Trillo, decides to choose for greener pastures and parts for Ethane. Then again, it is a yearly occurrence for the Madonna fan to see the star player leave and an important way to balance the books of this club which always appears on the brink of falling back to the amateur tier. The play-off last season came close to that but nicking the star striker from opponent FC Orsi might have helped to prolong the stay one more time.

That man, Roberto Tebaldi, immediately represents the key investment of the off-season. Gremio is whispered to try and shore up his defence a little more than before - their attacking theme raising their profile amongst other clubs, but it wears off if you lose all the time - and opt for only two strikers up front. Tebaldi, tall and powerful, should be coupled with a youth product, albeit from different generations. Di Pasquale is technically apt but can be bullied out of the game whilst Federico Granocche is rumoured to be the new gem in the talent grove which is their youth academy - but it will require a lot more honing. To stop the midfield from being overrun every other week, Laurence Bryger is brought in to shore up things. The Brenecian showed himself a leader in the friendlies, even if most of his teammates barely understood a word he said, and the miles he brings to the setup could give Madonna a new face. Add to that Giacomo Nobile, often caught in a firing range but definitely a decent goalkeeper and we would almost believe that Nottori might not be the laughing stock this season.

Might. Because there is still plenty of subpar mediocrity left to fill the squad with. The defensive line has been given a bit of an update, but there’s reasonable doubt whether someone with an injury track record such as Perini and an unknown amateur such as Pasciolo will revamp that back four. Captain Rocchi remains extremely slow, but there are nearly no alternatives. And whilst the strikers look decent, the question remains who will put them into a scoring position. Vittorio Scrugli, the oldest of the three brothers, was not a lot to begin with and only became worse, his brother Simone doesn’t add much creativity and there are good reasons why players such as Nocciolini and De Luca failed to break through for bigger sides. It is probable that Madonna Nottori will entertain at times, especially if an opponent takes it too easy, but all in all, they fall short for top tier football.

The Newcomers

Roberto Tebaldi (0.4 mil, FC Orsi), Luca Perini (0.2 mil, Inter), Simone Pasciolo (0.1 mil, Nottori Duo), Laurence Bryger (BRE, free, Lammerton (SCT)), Federico Granocche (youth academy), Leonardo Tartaglia (youth academy), Vincenzo Ioime (youth academy)

The Departures

Davide Trillo (0.6 mil, Cadadale (ETN)), Adelberto D’Ambrosio (CFC Limmare), Francesco Fusco (retired)

The Selection

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo  
GK   1  Giacomo Nobile         SOR   24   S12  Start    109    0  Royale Catrallo    109    0
GK  12  Vincenzo Ioime         SOR   20   S16  Bench      0    0  Youth                0    0
LD   2  Luca Perini            SOR   29   S16  Start      0    0  Inter Catrallo     137    3
LD  15  Claudio Migliorini     SOR   23   S15  Res        4    0  Sparta Varisa        4    0
CD   3  Angelo Rocchi ©        SOR   34   S02  Start    388    4  Youth              388    4
CD  13  Manuele Masini         SOR   27   S13  Bench     78    4  US San Savola      135    7
CD  20  Simone Pasciolo        SOR   23   S16  Start      0    0  Nottori Duo          0    0
RD   6  Lorenzo Scrugli        SOR   28   S06  Start    234    7  Youth              234    7
RD  25  Salvatore Germinale    SOR   22   S15  Bench      8    0  Gruppo Compatto     10    0
DM  18  Dario Nocciolini       SOR   31   S13  Start     88    2  Sportiva Montelc.  139    6
DM  23  Leonardo Tartaglia     SOR   19   S16  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
CM   8  Simone Scrugli         SOR   26   S09  Start    151   11  Youth              151   11
CM   7  Laurence Bryger        BRE   33   S16  Start      0    0  Lammerton/SCT        0    0
CM  19  Marco Donzetti         SOR   28   S15  Bench     14    1  Fratelli d’Anezzo   73    5
AM  16  Ciro De Luca           SOR   24   S14  Start     23    1  Pro Stampano        55    3
AM  14  Vittorio Scrugli       SOR   31   S04  Bench    242   15  Youth              242   15
ST  10  Andrea Di Pasquale     SOR   23   S11  Start     88   17  Youth               88   17
ST   9  Roberto Tebaldi        SOR   24   S16  Start      0    0  FC Orsi              0    0
ST  18  Federico Granocche     SOR   18   S16  Bench      0    0  Youth                0    0
ST  23  Niccolo Tazza          SOR   33   S13  Bench     39    1  Inter Catrallo      76    3

The First Twenty Games of the Serie Nazionale

Serie Nazionale              Pld   W   D  L  GF  GA   GD  Pts 
12 Madonna Nottori            20   2   2 16  32  55  −23    8

The Headline - Meteoric Start

It is nearly impossible and yet it happens, Madonna Nottori find themselves in fourth after four matchdays. The omens start well as Nottori manages a clean sheet on the opening day visiting a Fagli still looking for their best eleven - immediately equaling their grand total of one clean sheets last season. But the true shocker is in two back-to-back home victories, again with a perfect record for Giacomo Nobile. The latter definitely plays his role in this flying start with his save on a Saligari strike being the turning point of the Inter win. At once, Nottori shed their image of pushovers with newcomers Bryger and Tebaldi between the lines. The lack of technical prowess from the latter hurts the eyes but with three headed goals in three successive games, he gives them the attacking presence they lacked so dearly.

Laurence Bryger, on the other hand, gives his squad physique and, at last, a set of balls. Even if it was the only losing match of that start, his performance keeping Salvatori in check against the all-powerful Catrallo Calcio was monumental: Calcio struggled for an hour and could only really distance themselves in the tail end. Half of his teammates seem to fear the Brenecian - immediately nicknamed the Stallion in line with the equestrian nickname - but he’s said to be a positive impact on the few and far between talents in the selection as Germinale and Granocche are spotted doing extra training sessions with Bryger. It is clear he played in better leagues before.

The Headline - Is It Luck or Quality?

Yet, it takes till game ten - a draw against Robur - before Nottori can back up that form with another point. It did not always have to be so. Their game versus Esca showed promise until an unlucky own goal from Simone Pasciolo - who appears to be less shit than anticipated - leaves them empty handed. And they could’ve snagged a point against Sportiva, of all teams, if Tebaldi had scored that sitter. Still, the Orsi newcomer can do no wrong as his opener against Robur Astello chalks him up for six goals and that ahead of the halfway point, an unusual luxury. Add to that four roses by Federico Granocche, who is having a very promising inaugural season, and you’ve got yourself a decent pairing up front. The 18-year old can be a little rash one-on-one but dares to take risks and creates chances for himself and the team. Add to that that he’s the son of Ugo Granocche, quite a decent forward in his days, and you’ve got yourself the feel-good story of the year.

The only thing which is nagging in the background is that it brings in so few points. By this point, they are back to being within range of the top figures for goals against - even with an in-form Nobile. Astello was missing Gozzi on the day but when Rocchi and Nocciolini both waited too long to attack the ball, even replacement Bondioli could slot in his strike and rob Madonna Nottori of that anticipated third victory. Still, Gremio focuses on the success so far, “this is a different Nottori, such a lively one we haven’t seen in years.”

The Headline - It Is A Lack of Quality, For Sure

And then they lose ten in a row.

There are all sorts of defeats in that pack. There’s the painful 2-8 blowout against a Catrallo Calcio which has Carmine Garofalo on fire. There’s the clinical 3-1 against a vengeful Inter who give them no opportunity to construct a chance. And there are some close affairs, such as an eventful 3-4 home defeat against Fagli Cinquanta that gets decided by a questionable penalty decision going against Il Cavalli. But in the end it says, zero points for Madonna. And, strangely, sixteen goals for them as well: there are teams that struggled to produce that in the first twenty games all together. The partnership between Tebaldi and Granocche really seems to work with neither being a conventional end product but both forming a handful for an opposing defender. The least you can say is that they, a rare exception aside, always provided spectacle.

And critics will say that is a nice way to claim that they are leaking. Things worsened when goalkeeper Nobile picked up three weeks on the sin bin for a bizarre two-footed tackle on Borgonovo’s Orjee, with replacement Ioime visibly nervous to pick up the role. Add to that a poorly-timed injury for Perini and you got a back four which seemed to be built from sand. Against Virtus, Gremio even tried to plug the hole by putting Bryger as centre-back but with the Brenecian missing in midfield, it became glaringly obvious how little horsepower the regulars have in that department of the pitch. Strengthening the axis will become key, but first they will have to scrape themselves over the relegation line in the renewed Serie B.

[San Ortelio]

SSD Borgonovo

Your favorite team if...
You believe that football should be for the regular people and not some cash cow.
It is about playing with an ideal, from and for the people.
And you vote for the Partito Socialista Popolare, of course.

The Details

Home Stadium   Stadio del Fiume (5300 seats)
Nickname       Il Socio
Manager        Diego Chiesa
Sponsor        NutriPe (canning)
Since          S3
Won            1 Serie B title
Region         San Bonifazio

The Off-Season

After a disappointing run in the Serie Nazionale, SSD Borgonovo showed a different face in the Serie B. Those in the know claim it’s the long-term effect of keeping faith in Diego Chiesa, a manager who is considered one of their own, having made his way up the ranks from the youth squads. Still only 33, he dares to opt for psychology sessions and data analysis in a conservative football world and that alone puts him on the fringes. Fact is that it served as something as the squad managed to come together bit by bit across the year and eventually looked half-decent. There was hope that it could be a platform for greater things but the transfer window left mixed feelings. For some, the bulk methodology knocked the bottom out of that ambition whilst others laud the daring acquisitions made.

Most agreed that a class striker forms the missing puzzle piece for the left-wing club and few believe that Mattia Santoro, off the right track in Stampano and never a goal machine in the first place, will be that person. He will need to link with the tall, clumsy Galli up front for a classic pairing. The remainder of the transfers show an interesting internationalism to some and a painful lack of funds for others. They seem to have been made in an attempt to reform the 5-3-2 into a slightly more attacking 4-4-2, pushing the more technical of the Boffeli twins one row up front. This should free up Paolo Castelli, the veteran star, to have a bigger impact on the offensive moves of the squad. The other Boffeli, Giulio will either have Jordan Smith, an unknown quantity from South Newlandia, or Tommi Puuk, a static but shrewd oldtimer, next to him. Still, the defense is weighted down by the fact that Chiesa can only pick between two half-decent goalies.

Whilst the attacking pairing has a few question marks, the same can be said about the midfield. Newcomer Luo Lang reaches two metres but… Just doesn’t look like a footballer. Which once more puts the build-up in the hands of Castelli and Spizzichino, with the latter showing glimpses of why Pesari once considered him a talent. Alternatively, they can opt for wingers with Archer Pearson being a notable addition. In a gutsy move, the talented winger opted for the bottom of the Serie Nazionale over domestic opportunities. He can be coupled to Nkechi Orjee, a remarkable transfer for being the first San Ortelian of Nyowani Kitaran descent to grace the top tier. Once again an unknown quantity as this squad has plenty off: either they become a decent Serie B side or they’ll challenge Nottori for the red lantern.

The Newcomers

Mattia Santoro (0.2 mil, Pro Stampano), Nkechi Orjee (0.1 mil, PRIND Razzi), Luo Lang (YZH, free, Yincheng Guodui (YZH)), Jordan Smith (SNL, free, Sun City Atoms (SNL)), Tommi Puuk (HRK, free, Linnameeskond Harseni (HRK)), Archer Pearson (MUR, free, Liverpool Town (MUR)), Pasquale Ciriello (youth academy)

The Departures

Andrea Gatti (Astello Mare, free)

The Selection

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo  
GK  12  Leonardo Brignoli      SOR   31   S14  Bench     58    0  VC Pesari          114    0 
GK  99  Giulio Mosca           SOR   24   S13  Start     14    0  FC Pesari           15    0
LD  13  Luca Mangano           SOR   27   S12  Start    117    1  Esca Unione        173    2
LD   2  Lorenzo Gambino        SOR   31   S10  Bench    139    2  Motori Vitale      139    2
CD   3  Giulio Boffeli         SOR   28   S06  Start    219    5  Youth              219    5
CD  14  Tommi Puuk             HRK   34   S16  Start      0    0  Linn. Harseni/HRK    0    0
CD  25  Jordan Smith           SNL   25   S16  Bench      0    0  Sun City Atoms/SNL   0    0
CD  19  Luca Cupponi           SOR   20   S15  Res        6    0  Youth                0    0
RD  15  Riccardo Ghioldi       SOR   36   S09  Bench    156    1  CC Radillo         156    1
RD   5  Davide Dellavedova     SOR   22   S14  Start     19    0  Virtus Redoccio      0    0
DM   6  Paolo Castelli ©       SOR   34   S09  Start    208   29  Inter Catrallo     328   49
DM   4  Gianluca Boffeli       SOR   28   S07  Start    164    4  Youth              164    4
CM   8  Giorgio Fietta         SOR   29   S13  Bench     28    1  Sportiva Mont.      48    3
CM  66  Luo Lang               YZH   25   S16  Start      0    0  Yincheng Guo./YZH    0    0
AM  10  Lorenzo Spizzichino    SOR   24   S15  Start     31    6  FC Pesari           54    9
AM  20  Mario De Lucia         SOR   26   S11  Res       82    8  Forza Catrallo      82    8
LW  23  Nkechi Orjee           SOR   20   S16  Bench      0    0  PRIND Razzi          0    0
RW  17  Archer Pearson         SOR   19   S16  Bench      0    0  Liverpool Town/MUR   0    0
ST  11  Niccolo Galli          SOR   21   S14  Start     40    6  Youth               40    6
ST   9  Mattia Santoro         SOR   27   S16  Start      0    0  Pro Stampano       146   38
ST  15  Pasquale Ciriello      SOR   18   S16  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0

The First Twenty Games of the Serie Nazionale

Serie Nazionale              Pld   W   D  L  GF  GA   GD  Pts 
11 SSD Borgonovo              20   2   5 13  24  49  −25   11
12 Madonna Nottori            20   2   2 16  32  55  −23    8

The Headline - Lack of Efficiency

“It’s just… They don’t hand out more points for a spectacular draw.” Wide-eyed and still completely worn-out from the performance, Gianluca Boffeli hit the nail when discussing the 5-5 at Montelcampo after match day six. It had been a delight for the neutral fans of the game, with goals back and forth amongst which a handful of delightful ones: a retro by Pambianco and a chip from Mazzone for the home team, Castelli with a rocket and an athletic volley via substitute Pearson for the visitors. Each team probably went back home thinking that more could have been, especially considering the mediocre defending. It’s a fact that Chiesa lets his men play an interesting brand of football, with a lot of pressure when fallen out of possession and an eye for the standard situations.

It’s also a fact that his team struggles to turn the high requirements set into genuine results. Drawing Sportiva, after getting the same result against San Savola and Stampano hint to the fact that SSD Borgonovo should be able to measure themselves against the middle of the table and still, after six games they are in last position. Mattia Santoro, at three goals, performs better than anticipated whilst Paolo Castelli is having a second spring and mentions how important the addition of Luo Lang to the midfield is. Only Spizzichino hasn’t really hit second gear yet and the aspiration is that, if and when this happens, SSD Borgonovo will easily sail out of last position.

The Headline - Winning Seems to be the Hardest Word

Eight games later, it is clear that that was overly hopeful. The socio’s saw every positive development run dry, whilst external factors did not help. Goalkeeper Mosca got himself out of favor with some poor displays but replacement Brignoli dropped the ball (literally) against Esca. Back to Mosca, Chiesa believed but then his first goalie ran into an injury (again, literally), leaving him with two disillusioned goalkeepers. Giulio Boffeli does not seem to connect will with Puuk nor Smith, creating a vulnerable defensive line. It doesn’t help that Dellavedova, a youngster hoping to step up on the right back, fails to deliver, putting veteran Ghioldi back between the lines for the Stampano draw, the only point in two months.

In the attack, things don’t look rozy either. Only five goals in eight games, with one being a penalty, one an own goal and one a wayward corner flying in. Niccolo Galli struggles to live up to the expectations held for a Di Bradini Cup winner and Santoro makes himself less liked in the group. Add to that a short injury for Pearson, one of the revelations for the season start, and rumors discussing personal issues for Spizzichino: it becomes difficult. Only the midfield department seems to hold out well, but Castelli and Lang lack the athletic capacity to keep everything together. After a nil-four home defeat, manager Diego Chiesa is told that the relegation clash with Nottori will decide his fate.

The Headline - Wind in the Wings

It’s a close call and a nonsensical action from Nottori goalie Nobile helps out, but the game gets won. In part due to a major overhaul of the starting line-up: a 4-3-2-1 gets introduced which allows Chiesa to leave out some of the struggling players. Spizzichino, Galli and Giulio Boffeli get benched initially. But more importantly, it’s the two young wingers that give SSD some extra hope. Archie Pearson gets a MotM performance, scoring one and setting up Santoro for his first goal in months, whilst Nkechi Orjee, physical and fast by the touchline, offers much-needed movement. The same recipe, where Smith and Puuk form the lock on the door, brings in a point against Stampano.

With rekindled spirits, the chase for Madonna Nottori gets started but an ACL injury for figurehead Paolo Castelli seems to be a final setback. Chiesa tries his luck and fishes the doubting Lorenzo Spizzichino from the stands for an epic encounter against Fagli Cinquanta. After an attractive confrontation, it’s the diminutive midfielder who scores the decisive 4-3 to relieve SSD of the last place. On MD20, Borgonovo delivers another amazing performance, leading 3-4 after sixty minutes against Catrallo: Pearson, Orjee, Santoro and even Lang hit the scoreboard but then the offensive power of Garofalo and Spadoni takes the upper hand. Still, the 6-4 loss might live on long in Borgonovi lore, if only for the moment when Spizzichino dribbles six Catrallo players in one run.

The Headline - Orjee and Some Black Pages

For his role in the new burst of form from SSD Borgonovo, Nkechi Orjee won a place in the hearts of the fans but it has not always been a smooth run for the winger. The history of ethnic Kitarans within San Ortelio is one with a lot of episodes of which one should not be proud and the presence of Orjee, who kisses his machete tattoo after every goal, unfortunately added a page of two. The ludicrous tackle from Nottori’s Nobile is whispered to be partially influenced by racism, but evidence there is lacking. It wasn’t, however, when SSD visited Robur and a part of the home crowd opted to make booing sounds each time Orjee touched the ball. The supporters of both clubs carry a deep, politically loaded hatred and the situation got out of hand, with several hospitalized victims.

Orjee himself seems unphased by the occurrences, in part due to some vocal support from teammates such as Pearson, Castelli and Santoro. “I’m used to this,” he proclaimed, “each time PRIND [ed. PRIND Razzi, the most successful club from the Kitaran community and an important cornerstone of the cultural league which stands by the promotion of their integration] plays against a right-wing team, it was mayhem. Worst case, the referee actively supported it. It doesn’t touch me anymore.” It opened up a debate within football, but it’s clear that the vile face of racism hasn’t been done with yet.

[San Ortelio]

Pro Stampano

Your favorite team if...
We’re not sure which portion of the population this squad is catering towards.
People who feel that you should have high ambitions, even if they’re unlikely?
People fond of post stamp collecting and minor frustrations?

The Details

Home Stadium   Corsa Quersia (2800 seats)
Nickname       The Postmen
Manager        Errice Baldini
Sponsor        FederIT (IT services)
Since          S1
Won            4 Serie B titles (last S15), 1 Coppa delle Stella (S9)
Region         Santa Sofia

The Off-Season

It has not exactly been a great season 15 for Pro Stampano, who took the starting blocks hoping to stay in the trail of the Big Three but saw themselves falling back to the Serie B, with their manager sent away. Amidst the disappointment, they found a new breath when Errice Baldini took the wheel. Baldini is one of the nestors of the guild and will not bring a tactical revolution, but does give an entertaining edge to a club that is often set aside as duller than a broken sandwich. He’s beloved for his honest opinions in the press - even if it’s against the interest of his own players. No wonder that his tenure usually don’t last that long, but in the meantime he can snipe a good result here and there. As such, Pro Stampano kicks off the new year with a rekindled hope to at least return to the Serie A.

To achieve this, they needed to tackle the proverbial Achilles’ heel, a lack of goal scoring ability. Last year’s duo got either sold at a bargain price or benched and a fresh pair of attackers were brought in. The domestic addition is Christian Valeri, the freakishly tall gentle giant from San Savola. Despite missing basic technique, he is a man who can crack the code at times. By his side, one will find the fast Chromatik Lenore Ransom. With quite some Red League years under her belt, she does not only bring speed and infiltrations, but also some valuable experience. During the preseason, she already showed flashes of her capacity and became an instant hit with the fans. After all, they have been hoping for a double-figure striker for a few years now and the Chromatik maverick could be just that one.

They should build upon the existing foundations as these were, all in all, quite decent last year. Ettore Trasciani gets the job done whilst his nephew Roberto found a good match in newcomer Luca Ilari last season. Note the arrival from Carlo Qualla, a promising right-back who had various offers but chose this project - a comforting signal to the fans. It adds to a rejuvenating effort which is visible in midfield as well. Domenica Cappa might only be 22 but played a key role in the DBC triumph and grows into a leader role as defensive midfield. So far, so good. There are a few more question marks around the build-up portion of that part of the field: Savigliane earned a good reputation for players lately, but Sanmicheli remains an unknown quantity, whilst Iotti has an amazing speed of execution but couldn’t turn it into proper statistics last season. All in all, as dangerous as it is to say, this claim to a Serie A ticket still seems sounder than last year, so they will be in the mix.

The Newcomers

Lenore Ransom (CMT, 0.75 mil, Urrheddiao (CMT)), Christian Valeri (0.5 mil, US San Savola), Carlo Qualla (0.2 mil, FC Orsi), Giaco Sanmicheli (SVG, free, Porto Vecchio (SVG)), Manuele Pilati (youth academy)

The Departures

Mattia Santoro (0.2 mil, SSD Borgonovo)

The Selection

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo  
GK  13  Ettore Trasciani       SOR   27   S14  Start     66    0  SSD Borgonovo      195    0
GK  24  Ivan Siano             SOR   20   S15  Bench      1    0  Stampano Socio       1    0
LD   2  Mattia Arrigoni        SOR   24   S13  Start     78    1  Virtus Redoccio     86    1
LD  18  Gian Maria Cerretti    SOR   31   S10  Bench     55    1  Pro Patria Foot    116    3
CD  23  Luca Ilari             SOR   25   S15  Start     30    1  US San Savola       30    1
CD   3  Roberto Trasciani ©    SOR   32   S07  Start    268   21  FC Pesari          274   21
CD  26  Manuele Pilati         SOR   18   S16  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
CD   4  Franco Mattiolo        SOR   26   S13  Res       37    0  Catrallo Athletic   37    0
RD  19  Simone Rossi           SOR   34   S09  Bench    139    3  Sportiva Montelc.  238   12
RD   5  Carlo Qualla           SOR   20   S16  Start      0    0  FC Orsi              0    0
DM   6  Daniele Di Francesco   SOR   34   S01  Bench    378   15  Youth              378   15
DM  16  Domenico Cappa         SOR   22   S12  Start     63    6  Youth               63    6
DM  13  Giacinto Polidori      SOR   27   S13  Start     55    4  Sportiva Montelc.  102    9
DM  19  Filippo Stanco         SOR   20   S14  Res        7    0  Youth                7    0
AM   8  Pietro Bunino          SOR   29   S14  Bench     44    3  Stampano Socio      44    3
AM  25  Giaco Sanmicheli       SVG   23   S16  Start      0    0  Porto Vecchio/SVG    0    0
AM  10  Marco Iotti            SOR   27   S11  Start    139   26  Virtus Redoccio    179   33
ST  55  Ugo Cianci             SOR   30   S12  Bench    120   38  SSD Borgonovo      246   62
ST   9  Lenore Ransom          CMT   29   S16  Start      0    0  Urrheddiao/CMT       0    0
ST  11  Christian Valeri       SOR   27   S16  Start      0    0  US San Savola      140   46
ST  29  Lorenzo Nannetti       SOR   22   S15  Bench     14    1  FC Pesari           24    2
ST  27  Gregorio Boccardi      SOR   19   S15  Res        2    0  Youth                2    0

The First Twenty Games of the Serie Nazionale

Serie Nazionale              Pld   W   D  L  GF  GA   GD  Pts 
10 Pro Stampano               20   5   7  8  19  27   −8   22
11 SSD Borgonovo              20   2   5 13  24  49  −25   11
12 Madonna Nottori            20   2   2 16  32  55  −23    8

The Headline - Ambitious Despite False Start

“I am ashamed to be standing here in front of you.” Errice Baldini’s tie might have had little smileys but there were no laughs shared after the first home game of the season: a painful shellacking leading to a forfait score loss at the hands of Virtus. Luckily for Stampano, most focus was on the winners but it couldn’t be escaped that this setup with six very defensive players and four very attacking ones lead to a huge gap in the midfield and a lack of firepower in the decisive end. This game did confirm for Baldini: this is not the Serie B which they waltzed through last year, this is a higher level. The next fixture against San Savola showed that lessons were learned: Pro Stampano opted again for a very defensive structure with a low line and occasional outbursts on the counterattack.

Indeed, it might not be pretty but it was efficient, the 1-0 confirming the playbook from the gaffer and convincing (some, maybe) fans that results are better than fun. Right? It did click with Ransom who enjoyed the space forced this way, marking five times by match day nine. This game, a clear 4-0 victory against a Robur that walked into the trap with both feet, also saw a first stand-out performance by Giaco Sanmicheli whose fast, vertical passing ruined the static Robur back four. It wasn’t a perfect world yet: the football was ‘efficient’ or boring, pending on your viewpoint, Marco Iotti looks like a player past his prime at 27 - which adds pressure on Sanmicheli - and left-back Arrigoni would be sidelined for a few weeks over a knee injury. But standing in fifth, only the Big Three and Sportiva (whose exciting run last year Pro hopes to copy) ahead of them, showed all they needed.

The Headline - The Fall-Out

It started with a loss in Fagli. Unfortunate, but it can happen after a close match. Then a visit from Catrallo Calcio, a difficult game in any circumstances. But then things started to slip out of hand and before Stampano knew it, they had five consecutive losses behind their name, a streak which saw them tumble down the ranks to tenth. As it goes if there is only one goal scored in five games (a consolation goal in a clear 1-5 loss to Pesari), all eyes turned to the striker pairing… Who in turn looked to one another. Christian Valeri ignited the bomb by saying that the cooperation with Marigu last season was better than with Lenore Ransom, something along the lines of “she’s not really the passing type”. Which got quickly reposted by the Chromatik who complained that “his feet are too far from his head to produce proper combinations”.

Baldini weighed his options, checked the statistics (5 goals scored versus 1) and stood by his nimbler attacker, claiming that “he had hoped that the investment made in Valeri would bring some results”. After a lot of this being played in the press, Christian Valeri brought it to the dressing room by ripping out the door and throwing it in the general direction of the coach. Despite his apologies, there seems to be little chance for his return in the starting line-up. Unfortunately for Baldini, this aligned with Cianci picking up a double match day over a red card. This leaves him Iotti, Sanmicheli, Ransom and Nannetti, four attacking pawns with a height somewhere around a metre seventy (and a bit lower for Marco Iotti) in a last-chance bid to come from behind and snap that Serie A ticket against the odds and the atmosphere.

The Headline - Fragile Hope

In fairytales, there would be a quick training montage, they would start winning and on the final match day, Valeri assists Ransom with the goal that sees them through to the top six (for the sequel). But football is no fairy tale so every result earned was a matter of hard work, grinding out the points and a fair few disappointing setbacks. A two-nil win against Inter - who mainly struggled with having two strikers that just tried to slice through with a clever dribble - rekindled the hopes, a goalless draw against Borgonovo placed everything in perspective and a clear home loss at the hands of Sportiva made clear: the preseason ambitions had been too high.

Still, Pro Stampano is not out of the race - yet. If they win the next match against Fagli Cinquanta, they will have their final thriller. If they do so, it will be coming from a strong performance of the axis of the squad: Ettore Trasciani who could not be blamed for the two blow-outs and Luca Ilari who slowly but surely takes over a role as defensive leader. But also Domenico Cappa who - even at the low points - remained the one that stood his ground and fought as aspired from a national team player and Lenore Ransom, despite all the off-the-pitch worries, on her way to become that double-figure striker Stampano hoped for (nine goals and counting). Yet it immediately outlines the weakness of the Postmen: this is not a team in composure, where the weaker elements get pushed up but they rather drag down the level, so the hope for the Serie A remains fragile and requires the best Stampano we’ve seen all year.

[San Ortelio]

CATRALLO CALCIO
Manager - Oliviero Tumellero
In - Bryony Lindt (NPH, 2 mil, Chardonnay Rangers (NPH)) Emilio Salvatori (1.1 mil, Virtus Redoccio), Manuel Volpe (0.2 mil, Gruppo Compatto), Vito Puma Viveiros (TEQ, free, SC Pedregal (TEQ)), Pietro Spedalieri (youth academy), Luca Dolci (youth academy)
Out - Gianmarco Del Prete (2.2 mil, Valnohar Rovers FC (TKT)), Pier Luigi Vitali (0.9 mil, Haitiens (TEQ)), Filippo Pompa (0.5 mil, Fagli Cinquanta), Salvatore Rocco (0.1 mil, Sportiva Montelcampo)

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo  
GK   1  Bryony Lindt           NPH   26   S16  Start      0    0  Chardonnay R./NPH    0    0
GK  17  Luca Dolci             SOR   17   S16  Bench      0    0  Youth                0    0
LD  18  Ciro Sandri            SOR   20   S14  Res        7    0  Youth                7    0
CD   3  Federico Dema          SOR   28   S12  Start    123   11  Esca Unione        241   17
CD   4  Giuseppe Rocca         SOR   24   S15  Start     35    1  Inter Catrallo     129    2
CD   5  Gaetano Lucarelli ©    SOR   31   S07  Start    291   14  Catrallo Athletic  291   14
CD  13  Vito Puma Viveiros     TEQ   20   S16  Bench      0    0  SC Pedregal/TQL      0    0
CD  22  Gennaro Di Livio       SOR   34   S08  Res      186   19  Fagli Cinq.        327   24
RD  17  Giovanni Fontana       SOR   26   S14  Bench     29    2  Forza Catrallo      34    2
DM   8  Alessio Di Masi        SOR   24   S13  Start    101   23  Robur Astello      176   30
DM  15  Mattia Brescia         SOR   27   S15  Bench     14    1  Sportiva Montelc.  131    5
CM   6  Fabio Mascolo          SOR   25   S11  Start    142   27  Youth              142   27
CM  19  Roberto Agostinone     SOR   32   S05  Start    342   54  Esca Unione        362   55
CM  15  Mario Soppola          SOR   20   S15  Res        4    0  Youth                4    0
RM  29  Lorenzo Moreschini     SOR   21   S13  Start     55    6  Youth               55    6
AM  10  Emilio Salvatori       SOR   28   S16  Start      0    0  Virtus Redoccio    217   61
AM  24  Carlo Marchegiani      SOR   25   S13  Bench     48    9  Catrallo Athletic   48    9
AM  21  Pietro Spedalieri      SOR   19   S16  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
ST  11  Davide Spadoni         SOR   25   S14  Start     61   36  US San Savola      133   59
ST   9  Carmine Garofalo       SOR   30   S11  Start    170  157  Sportiva Montelc.  277  208
ST  20  Franco Vitteriti       SOR   27   S09  Bench     79   20  Youth               79   20
ST  12  Manuel Volpe           SOR   22   S16  Bench      0    0  Gruppo Compatto      0    0

ESCA UNIONE
Coach - Luigi Delphi
In - Paulina Philipsdottir (GRF, 0.6 mil, Maigburg (GRF)), Luigi D’Annunzio (0.3 mil, VC Pesari), Riccardo Ciccone (Fagli Cinquanta, 0.2 mil), Lenpi-Xelez Roz (QUS, KFQ Pretarijz (QUS), free), Scotti Fusco (youth academy)
Out - Alberto Sgarbi (0.9 mil, Virtus Redoccio), Mattia Righetto (free, Nacionale), Stefano Ricci (retired)

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo  
GK  13  Jacopo Burrai          SOR   23   S12  Start     74    0  Youth               74    0 
GK  23  Paride Diquigiovanni   SOR   38   S05  Bench    214    1  AS Esca            276    1
LD   5  Paolo Melchiorri       SOR   29   S13  Start     62    2  Fagli Cinquanta    108    3
LD  16  Ernesto Oliveto        SOR   26   S14  Res       38    1  Calabrese Club      52    1
CD   3  Tommaso Crilese        SOR   21   S12  Start     79    2  Youth               79    2
CD   4  Salvatore Moscati ©    SOR   33   S05  Start    316   18  AS Esca            375   19
CD  99  Antonio Sobrero        SOR   31   S09  Bench    138    8  Inter Catrallo     183   10
RD   2  Paulina Philipsdottir  GRF   28   S16  Start      0    0  Maigburg/GRF         0    0
RD  28  Scotti Fusco           SOR   19   S16  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
LM  18  Stefano Falzerano      SOR   30   S14  Start     58   14  Virtus Redoccio    166   40
CM   8  Carlo Albertoni        SOR   22   S12  Start     82    9  Youth               82    9
CM   6  Gabriele Tozzuolo      SOR   27   S07  Start    224   36  Youth              224   36
CM  15  Guido Miroli           SOR   29   S12  Res       56    4  Catrallo Athletic   56    4
CM  26  Domenico Tazzeri       SOR   24   S15  Bench     19    3  Madonna Nottori     81    8
RM  14  Francesco Nicoletti    SOR   21   S14  Start     37    5  Lovani FC           37    5
LW  17  Alessio Zambataro      SOR   30   S11  Bench     72   11  FC Orsi             82   12
RW  21  Riccardo Ciccone       SOR   27   S16  Bench     55   10  Fagli Cinquanta    168   26
ST  10  Alessandro Tozzuolo    SOR   29   S06  Start    229   62  Youth              229   62
ST   9  Stefano Baiocco        SOR   33   S12  Bench     76   14  Robur Astello      163   34 
ST  20  Luigi D’Annunzio       SOR   21   S16  Start      0    0  VC Pesari            0    0
ST  19  Lenpi-Xelez Roz        QUS   37   S16  Bench      0    0  KFC Pretarijz/QUS    0    0
ST  23  Mattia Alba            SOR   19   S15  Res        1    0  Youth                1    0

FAGLI CINQUANTA
Coach - Mario Anza
In - Giancarlo Laghi (0.6 mil, FC Pesari), Filippo Pompa (0.5 mil, Catrallo Calcio), Tang Tao (YZH, 0.5 mil, Yincheng Capitals (YZH)), Carlo Gennusi (0.1 mil, Virtus Redoccio), Chikelu Okonye (OSR, free, FC Capri (VAL)), Simone Ferrario (youth academy)
Out - Emanuele Bignami (0.4 mil, Inter Catrallo), Riccardo Ciccone (0.2 mil, Esca Unione), Claudio Ragghi (retired)

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo
GK   1  Elia Scardina          SOR   26   S13  Bench     91    0  SSD Borgonovo       91    0
GK  22  Filippo Pompa          SOR   28   S16  Start      0    0  Catrallo Calcio    143    0
LD  19  Stefano D’Ausilio      SOR   22   S14  Res       11    0  Youth               11    0
LD   2  Luca Ghidotti          SOR   31   S11  Start    129    8  Esca Unione        192   10
CD   3  Edoardo Ferrera ©      SOR   28   S09  Start    134    3  Fagli Amicale      134    3
CD   4  Mirco Rossi            SOR   36   S03  Bench    289   12  Politecnica Foot   289   12
CD  13  Michele Marchetti      SOR   24   S13  Start     45    1  Virtus Redoccio     49    1
CD  29  Iuri Stucci            SOR   20   S15  Res        3    0  Youth                3    0
RD  14  Matteo Labruzzo        SOR   23   S15  Start     28    1  Sportiva Montelc.   28    1
RD   5  Francesco Losa         SOR   35   S08  Bench    139    4  Robur Astello      204    5
DM   6  Antonio Lamberti       SOR   36   S12  Bench    108    7  Esca Unione        243   11
DM  16  Yang Tao               YZH   25   S16  Start      0    0  Yincheng Cap./YZH    0    0
CM   8  Michele Faini          SOR   24   S13  Start     94   12  Inter Catrallo     105   12
CM  21  Carlo Gennusi          SOR   30   S16  Start      0    0  Virtus Redoccio     79    4
CM  19  Simone Ferrario        SOR   19   S16  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
AM  10  Lorenzo Tosi           SOR   23   S15  Start     30    8  Catrallo Calcio     49   11
AM  17  Giorgio Maio           SOR   20   S14  Bench     19    3  Youth               19    3
LA  11  Giancarlo Laghi        SOR   33   S16  Start      0    0  FC Pesari          211   48
ST  26  Chikelu Okonye         OSR   28   S16  Start      0    0  FC Capri/VAL         0    0
ST  13  Davide Saputo          SOR   28   S14  Res        7    1  Motori Vitale        7    1
RA  60  Filippo Pannati        SOR   25   S08  Bench    103   13  Youth              103   13
RA  42  Alex Simonetti         SOR   19   S15  Bench      8    1  Youth                8    1

FC PESARI
Coach - Giorgio Guerra
In - Jules Haney (TKT, 1.5 mil, Octo Valley FC (SQR)), Walter Moro (0.6 mil, Virtus Redoccio), Matteo Corriere (AUD, 0.5 mil, AC Izotz Zubia (AUD)), Alberto Gioia (youth academy), Eberardo San Pietro (youth academy)
Out - Enrico Lanzafame (1.5 mil, Falkner United (BRE)), Giancarlo Laghi (0.6 mil, Fagli Cinquanta)

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo  
GK   1  Walter Moro            SOR   21   S16  Start      0    0  Virtus Redoccio      9    0
GK  22  Aniello Furlan         SOR   33   S11  Bench     23    0  VC Pesari           23    0
LD  13  Giancarlo Passuello    SOR   31   S04  Bench    319    3  Youth              319    3
LD   3  Ercole Venturato       SOR   24   S14  Start     58    2  Robur Astello      119    3
CD   4  Pietro Mazziero        SOR   28   S07  Start    213    8  Youth              213    8
CD  26  Giuseppe Proietto      SOR   29   S14  Bench     14    0  Inter Catrallo     159    1
CD  17  Alberto Gioia          SOR   19   S16  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
CD  18  Matteo Corriere        AUD   33   S16  Start      0    0  AC Izotz Zubia/AUD   0    0
RD   5  Alessio Rota           SOR   27   S13  Start    100   14  Sportiva Montelc.  218   26
RD   2  Fabrizio Partipilo     SOR   22   S12  Bench     29    0  Youth               29    0
DM  15  Attilio Quintarelli    SOR   20   S15  Start     31    5  US San Savola       61    7
DM   6  Gioacchino Russo       SOR   33   S03  Bench    216   20  Youth              216   20
CM   8  Sandro Zanoni ©        SOR   33   S12  Start    135   24  Sportiva Montelc.  371   68
CM  10  Giacomo Favaro         SOR   23   S14  Start     63   21  SSD Borgonovo       63   21
CM   7  Alberto Bortolotto     SOR   23   S13  Start     76   12  Pro Stampano        98   14
CM  30  Emanuele Mammarella    SOR   19   S15  Res        6    1  Youth                6    1
AM  19  Alessandro Vantaggia   SOR   36   S11  Bench     72   14  Catrallo Athletic   72   14
AM  24  Eberardo San Pietro    SOR   18   S16  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
ST  11  Roberto Pella          SOR   29   S11  Bench    143   60  US San Savola      290   95
ST   9  Jules Haney            TKT   31   S16  Start      0    0  Octo Valley FC/SQR   0    0
ST  19  Dennis Spaviero        SOR   20   S14  Start     34   16  Youth               34   16
ST  13  Michele Cambasso       SOR   24   S10  Res       21    3  Youth               21    3

INTER CATRALLO
Coach - Piero Fezzardi
In - Emanuele Bignami (0.4 mil, Fagli Cinquanta), Evan Kerraway (BRE, free, Falkner United (BRE)), Luca Signorelli (youth academy)
Out - Luca Perini (0.2 mil, Madonna Nottori)

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo  
GK   1  Davide Roscioli        SOR   28   S11  Start    143    0  Catrallo Calcio    152    0
GK  13  Daniele Pandolfi       SOR   21   S14  Bench      6    0  Youth                6    0
LD   2  Giuseppe Nicoletti     SOR   33   S15  Start     28    1  Sportiva Montelc.  203    5
LD  25  Stefano Abagnale       SOR   26   S08  Bench     99    2  Youth               99    2
CD   3  Mariano Calcaterra ©   SOR   29   S05  Start    230    3  Youth              230    3
CD   4  Simone Tebaldi         SOR   24   S14  Bench     61    2  Virtus Redoccio     61    2
CD   5  Evan Kerraway          BRE   32   S16  Start      0    0  Falkner United/BRE   0    0
RD  17  Mirko Chiurato         SOR   19   S15  Start     14    0  Youth               14    0
RD  29  Luigi Tascone          SOR   23   S14  Res       13    0  Catrallo Athletic   13    0
DM  16  Roberto Cecchin        SOR   27   S12  Bench    108    3  Fagli Cinquanta    188    4
DM  18  Illario Gallicardi     SOR   24   S09  Start     74    4  Youth               74    4
DM   6  Eros Fidanza           SOR   30   S13  Start     90    2  Robur Astello      203    3
DM  22  Luca Signorelli        SOR   19   S16  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
CM   8  Guido Gorini           SOR   33   S08  Bench    211   12  FC Orsi            229   12
CM  14  Giuseppe Aymo          SOR   22   S14  Start     33    1  Catrallo Calcio     33    1
CM  20  Filippo Loreto         SOR   21   S15  Res        2    0  Youth                2    0
AM  10  Fabiano Scirea         SOR   25   S12  Start    120   19  Madonna Nottori    120   19
AM  23  Marco Dotti            SOR   36   S06  Bench    307   43  Catrallo Calcio    354   47
AM  15  Flavio D’Oriano        SOR   23   S14  Bench     20    2  Politecnica Foot    20    2
ST   9  Giovanni Saligari      SOR   30   S10  Start    189   77  SSD Borgonovo      308  104
ST  11  Emanuele Bignami       SOR   27   S16  Start      0    0  Fagli Cinquanta    186   53
ST  22  Raffaele Marchese      SOR   21   S13  Bench     53    5  Youth               53    5
ST  37  Antonio Loreto         SOR   19   S15  Res        9    2  Youth                9    2

ROBUR ASTELLO
Coach - Elio Senze
In - Bernardo Ravelli (0.1 mil, Astello United), Petor Szektkovsky (TJU, free, CSTO Academy (TJU)), Jubenar Mallerbury (KOR, free, Zilverstraat SC (KOR)), Mattias Soomre (HRK, free, Kuinopi Club (HRK)), Claudio della Torre (youth academy)
Out - Egidio Rollo (free, Siklapaa Jalkapallo (HRK)), Filippo Varoli (retired)

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo  
GK   1  Fabio Ferri            SOR   34   S09  Start    222    2  Fagli Cinquanta    386    2
GK  27  Mirko Pellizzari       SOR   22   S13  Bench      7    0  Youth                7    0
LD  22  Matteo Martorelli      SOR   28   S13  Start     91    2  Virtus Redoccio    182    2
LD  21  Lorenzo Giacobbe       SOR   20   S15  Res        6    0  Youth                6    0
CD   3  Filippo Maurizi        SOR   27   S12  Start    116    6  Juve Redoccio      116    6
CD  19  Sebastiano Lomolini    SOR   32   S03  Start    401    5  Youth              401    5
CD  14  Jubenar Mallerbury     KOR   22   S16  Start      0    0  Zilverstraat SC/KOR  0    0
CD   4  Michele Giulotti       SOR   26   S11  Bench     83    1  Astello Mare        83    1
CD  26  Claudio della Torre    SOR   18   S16  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
RD   5  Emanuele Carletti      SOR   23   S14  Start     66    2  Catrallo Calcio     66    2
RD  13  Mattias Soomre         HRK   29   S16  Bench      0    0  Kuinopi Club/HRK     0    0
DM   6  Federico Pozzi         SOR   29   S12  Start    128    4  US San Savola      221    6
DM  20  Petor Szektkovsky      TJU   21   S16  Bench      0    0  CSTO Academy/TJU     0    0
LM  16  Bernardo Ravelli       SOR   21   S16  Bench      0    0  Astello United       0    0
CM  15  Christian Sassi ©      SOR   35   S06  Start    316   21  Catrallo Calcio    316   21
CM  18  Gabriele Grandolfo     SOR   23   S15  Start     17    2  Madonna Nottori    103    6
AM   8  Jacopo Marcellusi      SOR   25   S08  Start    149   13  Youth              149   13
AM  10  Luca Bulevardi         SOR   21   S12  Bench     46    7  Youth               46    7
ST   9  Romeo Gozzi            SOR   26   S12  Start    108   77  FC Pesari          155   96
ST  17  Alessio Bondioli       SOR   34   S10  Bench     79   24  Pro Stampano       181   45
ST  23  Matteo Carannante      SOR   20   S15  Res        3    0  Youth                3    0

SPORTIVA MONTELCAMPO
Coach - Etern-Tylyr Von (QUS)
In - Joan Nonhagatte (FFD, 1.3 mil, KT Moreazerua (AUD)), Luca Cadili (0.5 mil, US San Savola), Aventurine Kolar (NPH, 1+1 year loan, AFC Treason (NPH)), Salvatore Rocco (0.1 mil, Catrallo Calcio), Angelo Cotillard (youth academy), Giusto Barletta (youth academy)
Out - Diego Buglia (0.8 mil, Estdal (GRF)), Alberto Di Cosmo (0.6 mil, Virtus Redoccio)

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo  
GK   1  Pasquale Pino          SOR   35   S01  Start    441   0   Youth              441    0
GK  13  Claudio Zagaria        SOR   22   S14  Bench      4   0   SSD Borgonovo        4    0
LD   2  Manuele Giannoti       SOR   28   S12  Start     88   2   Robur Astello      137    2
CD   3  Orlando Castorani      SOR   23   S13  Start     91   4   Virtus Redoccio     99    4
CD   4  Francesco Sarcinella   SOR   33   S11  Start    129   3   US San Savola      228    5
CD  20  Valerio Cattai         SOR   20   S15  Bench      5   0   Youth                5    0
CD  26  Luca Cigliano          SOR   24   S15  Res        8   0   Politecnica Foot     8    0
RD  15  Daniele Spureo         SOR   29   S15  Bench     13   1   Fagli Cinquanta    153    9
DM   6  Fabio Sparandeo        SOR   29   S12  Start    131   4   FC Pesari          179    4
DM  15  Aventurine Kolar       NPH   22   S16  Bench      0   0   AFC Treason/NPH      0    0
CM   7  Leonardo Delvino       SOR   26   S09  Start    138  11   Youth              138   11
CM   8  Joan Nonhagatte        FFD   34   S16  Start      0   0   KT Moreazerua/AUD    0    0
CM  14  Fabio Priola           SOR   25   S13  Res       17   0   Fratelli d’Anezzo   17    0
AM  10  Ercole Mazzone         SOR   24   S11  Start    123  37   Youth              123   37
AM  22  Giusto Barletta        SOR   20   S16  Bench      0   0   Youth                0    0
RW  11  Andrea Pambianco ©     SOR   32   S14  Start     61  36   Pro Stampano       316  117
RW  19  Francisco Priola       SOR   25   S13  Bench     55  17   Fratelli d’Anezzo   55   17
ST   9  Federico Celli         SOR   27   S11  Start    106  42   FC Pesari          153   60
ST  12  Angelo Cotillard       SOR   18   S16  Res        0   0   Youth                0    0
LW  17  Luca Cadili            SOR   19   S16  Start      0   0   US San Savola       30    6
LW  16  Salvatore Rocco        SOR   22   S16  Bench      0   0   Catrallo Calcio     19    5

US SAN SAVOLA
Coach - Oscar Fincato
In - Trisha Nzonzi (CYI, 0.5 mil, Roschester Pride (CYI)), Rashid Averroes (AMH, 0.3 mil, Alqamar (AMH)), Rafael Hythewater (NPH, 0.3 mil, Strathcona Intls (KSK)), Paride Risolo (0.2 mil, Virtus Redoccio), Alessandro Cappelluzzo (0.2 mil, Catrallo Athletic), Wlatko Kowac (ZRH, free, DD Porto Nowi (ZRH)), Gaetano Zungri (youth academy), Benito Tarallo (youth academy)
Out - Daniele Gagliano (1 mil, Soldarian FC (VAL)), Luca Cadili (0.5 mil, Sportiva Montelcampo), Christian Valeri (0.5 mil, Pro Stampano), Riccardo Pisano (retired)

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo  
GK   1  Cesar Giandonato       SOR   29   S13  Start     95    0  Virtus Redoccio     95    0
GK  22  Domenico Agnano        SOR   20   S14  Bench      3    0  Youth                3    0
LD   2  Trisha Nzonzi          CYI   20   S16  Start      0    0  Rosche. Pride/CYI    0    0
LD  12  Paride Risolo          SOR   35   S16  Bench    173    4  Virtus Redoccio    322   13
CD   3  Giorgio Biancu         SOR   23   S14  Bench     41    2  Lovani FC           41    2
CD   4  Antonio Cocco ©        SOR   34   S05  Start    273   29  AS Esca            329   33
CD  14  Rafael Hythewater      NPH   37   S16  Start      0    0  Strathcon/KSK        0    0
CD  24  Rafaelle Santi         SOR   26   S13  Res       32    1  FC Pesari           32    1  
RD  15  Paolo La Rosa          SOR   32   S07  Start    248    1  Pro Stampano       268    1
RD  18  Gaetano Zungri         SOR   18   S16  Bench      0    0  Youth                0    0
DM   6  Bernardo Ladinetti     SOR   26   S10  Start    129    8  Youth              129    8
DM   8  Nunzio Tornaghi        SOR   22   S12  Start     78    3  Youth               78    3
DM  18  Prudenzio Frondella    SOR   27   S14  Bench     20    0  SSD Borgonovo      143    1
CM  20  Giovanni Letti         SOR   19   S15  Start     13    1  Youth               13    1
CM   7  Rashid Averroes        AMH   24   S16  Start      0    0  Alqamar/AMH          0    0
CM  10  Saverio D’Agostino     SOR   22   S15  Res        8    0  RES Quartella        8    0
RW  23  Benito Tarallo         SOR   19   S16  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
ST  11  Samuele Marigu         SOR   27   S12  Bench    104   27  Pro Stampano       171   34
ST   9  Wlatko Kowac           ZRH   36   S16  Start      0    0  DD Porto Nowi/ZRH    0    0
ST  30  Alessandro Cappelluzzo SOR   23   S16  Start      0    0  Catrallo Athletic    0    0
ST  55  Andrea Galasso         SOR   22   S15  Res        6    1  Youth                6    1

VIRTUS REDOCCIO
Coach - Vacant
In - Boldiszar Zsinko (PAS, 1.2 mil, Miare CosmoStars (HIN)), Alberto Sgarbi (0.9 mil, Esca Unione), Alberto Di Cosmo (0.6 mil, Sportiva Montelcampo), Domard Prudhomme (GVN, 0.5 mil, Olympique Sarantec (GVN)), Ricardo Pace (ETN, 0.3 mil, Silexhera FC (AUD)) Ion Fio (AUD, free, Equipo Caiman (TEQ)), Elia Riggiano (youth academy)
Out - Orazio Canova (1.5 mil, Rozelle United (BRE)), Emanuele Salvatori (1.1 mil, Catrallo Calcio), Walter Moro (0.6 mil, FC Pesari), Paride Risolo (0.2 mil, US San Savola)

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo  
GK   1  Serafino Evacuo        SOR   29   S12  Start    138    0  US San Savola      326    0
GK  10  Ion Fio                AUD   22   S16  Bench      0    0  Equipo Caiman/TEQ    0    0
LD   2  Luca Curiale           SOR   24   S09  Start    147    3  Youth              147    3
LD  19  Marino Tomei           SOR   21   S14  Bench     24    1  Youth               24    1
CD   3  Rocco Mirarchi         SOR   28   S12  Start    135    1  Sportiva Montel.   244    2
CD   4  Desiderio Pinna        SOR   33   S04  Bench    328   19  Youth              328   19
CD  22  Ricardo Pace           ETN   33   S16  Start      0    0  Silexhera FC/AUD     0    0
CD  30  Erasmo Garattoni       SOR   19   S15  Res        4    0  Youth                0    0
RD   5  Domard Prudhomme       GVN   32   S16  Start      0    0  Olym. Sarantec/GVN   0    0
RD  13  Elia Riggiano          SOR   18   S16  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
DM   6  Fabrizio Confalonieri  SOR   30   S08  Start    256   14  Juve Redoccio      256   14
DM  14  Giovanni Lazarri       SOR   25   S15  Bench     11    1  Madonna Nottori    109    4
CM  16  Marco Fazio            SOR   32   S08  Start    234   19  Robur Astello      291   23
CM   8  Francesco Bagheria     SOR   25   S14  Bench     54   17  Pro Stampano       119   26
CM  26  Alessandro Cernigio    SOR   27   S13  Bench     43    8  Porto Querio        59    9
AM   7  Alberto Sgarbi         SOR   22   S16  Start      0    0  Esca Unione         90   19
AM  17  Alberto Di Cosmo       SOR   24   S16  Start      0    0  Sportiva Montel.   113   30
AM  29  Mario Bovo             SOR   36   S09  Res       72   15  SSD Borgonovo      286   33
ST  11  Flavio Stramaccioni ©  SOR   30   S13  Start     82   36  Inter Catrallo     190   70
ST   9  Boldizsar Zsinko       PAS   28   S16  Start      0    0  Miare CosmoSt./HIN   0    0
ST  20  Francesco Allieva      SOR   23   S15  Bench     14    5  Esca Unione         61   19
ST  28  Iacopo Fantacci        SOR   20   S14  Res        8    1  Youth                8    1

[San Ortelio]

Serie Regionale

Serie Regionale - A      Pld  W  D  L  GF  GA  GD  Pts
 1 Politecnica Foot       10  4  5  1  17  13  +4   17
 2 Catrallo Athletic      10  3  6  1  14  11  +3   15
 3 RES Quartella          10  3  5  2  15  18  −3   14
 4 Motori Vitale          10  2  6  2  11   8  +3   12
 5 PRIND Ratti            10  2  6  2  13  12  +1   12
 6 Astello Mare           10  0  4  6  10  18  −8    4

Serie Regionale - B      Pld  W  D  L  GF  GA  GD  Pts
 1 Orsi FC                10  9  0  1  23  10 +13   27
 2 Vittorio Club Pesari   10  4  4  2  21  17  +4   16
 3 Lovani FC              10  4  2  4  16  15  +1   14
 4 Juve Redoccio          10  3  3  4  17  16  +1   12
 5 Porto Querio           10  2  4  4  11  17  −6   10
 6 Nacionale              10  0  3  7   7  20 −13    3

Serie Nazionale

Serie Nazionale          Pld  W  D  L  GF  GA  GD  Pts
 1 FC Pesari              22 17  2  3  51  25 +26   53
 2 Catrallo Calcio        22 16  4  2  60  31 +29   52
 3 Sportiva Montelcampo   22 13  3  6  51  41 +10   42
 4 Virtus Redoccio        22 12  3  7  46  28 +18   39
 5 Esca Unione            22  7  7  8  38  42  −4   28
 6 US San Savola          22  6  9  7  38  37  +1   27
 7 Fagli Cinquanta        22  6  9  7  42  48  −6   27
 8 Robur Astello          22  7  6  9  23  29  −6   27
 9 Inter Catrallo         22  7  4 11  21  26  −5   25
10 Pro Stampano           22  5  8  9  19  28  −9   23
11 SSD Borgonovo          22  3  5 14  25  51 −26   14
12 Madonna Nottori        22  2  2 18  34  62 −28    8

Serie B

Serie B                  Pld  W  D  L  GF  GA  GD  Pts
 1 Pro Stampano           14  7  6  1  16   8  +8   27
 2 Inter Catrallo         14  7  5  2  18   9  +9   26
 3 Robur Astello          14  5  4  5  14  11  +3   19
 4 Madonna Nottori        14  4  6  4  21  19  +2   18
 5 SSD Borgonovo          14  4  5  5  28  27  +1   17
 6 Fagli Cinquanta        14  4  3  7  23  30  −7   15
 7 Politecnica Foot       14  2  8  4  16  20  −4   14
 8 Orsi FC                14  3  3  8  10  22 −12   12

Serie A

Serie A                  Pld  W  D  L  GF  GA  GD  Pts
 1 Catrallo Calcio        10  8  2  0  30  15 +15   26
 2 FC Pesari              10  5  2  3  20  16  +4   17
 3 Sportiva Montelcampo   10  4  3  3  24  23  +1   15
 4 Esca Unione            10  3  1  6  19  16  +3   10
 5 Virtus Redoccio        10  3  1  6  21  28  −7   10
 6 US San Savola          10  2  1  7  16  32 −16    7

Coppa delle Stella

Opening Round

Astello Mare         5–1            Nacionale
SSD Borgonovo        1–0        RES Quartella
Orsi FC              4–2        Motori Vitale
Porto Querio         1–0     Politecnica Foot
Madonna Nottori      1–2       Inter Catrallo
Pro Stampano         0–1    Catrallo Athletic
Vittorio Club Pesari 0–0        Juve Redoccio
PRIND Ratti          2–2            Lovani FC

Opening Round Rematch

Juve Redoccio        2–0 Vittorio Club Pesari
Lovani FC            1–0          PRIND Ratti

Second Round

Catrallo Calcio      0–0        Robur Astello
Inter Catrallo       1–1            Lovani FC
Esca Unione          4–4 Sportiva Montelcampo
FC Pesari            1–0        Juve Redoccio
Orsi FC              2–1         Porto Querio
Astello Mare         1–4      Virtus Redoccio
US San Savola        0–2      Fagli Cinquanta
SSD Borgonovo        2–2    Catrallo Athletic

Second Round Rematch

Robur Astello        4–3      Catrallo Calcio
Lovani FC            0–2       Inter Catrallo
Sportiva Montelcampo 2–1          Esca Unione
Catrallo Athletic    2–0        SSD Borgonovo

Quarterfinals

Robur Astello        1–0       Inter Catrallo
Sportiva Montelcampo 2–1            FC Pesari
Orsi FC              3–2      Virtus Redoccio
Fagli Cinquanta      2–1    Catrallo Athletic

Semifinals

Robur Astello        0–2 Sportiva Montelcampo
Orsi FC              1–2      Fagli Cinquanta

Final

Sportiva Montelcampo 4–2      Fagli Cinquanta

Serie Primavera

Serie Primavera          Pld  W  D  L  GF  GA  GD  Pts
 1 Virtus Redoccio        22 15  5  2  44  21 +23   50
 2 FC Pesari              22 15  4  3  58  29 +29   49
 3 Sportiva Montelcampo   22 13  3  6  61  42 +19   42
 4 Pro Stampano           22 10  5  7  27  21  +6   35
 5 Catrallo Calcio        22  9  6  7  53  43 +10   33
 6 Esca Unione            22  9  5  8  37  34  +3   32
 7 US San Savola          22  9  5  8  28  30  −2   32
 8 Fagli Cinquanta        22  8  4 10  38  45  −7   28
 9 Inter Catrallo         22  8  1 13  28  40 −12   25
10 Robur Astello          22  4  6 12  19  34 −15   18
11 SSD Borgonovo          22  4  3 15  26  57 −31   15
12 Madonna Nottori        22  2  5 15  32  55 −23   11

[San Ortelio]

Catrallo Calcio
Your new favorite team if…
You like winning so you support the best club. If you are the best, it’s not arrogant to say so, right?

Details

Home Stadium   Olimpico (9000 seats)
Nickname       Il Capo dei Capi
Manager        Oliviero Tumellero
Sponsor        Banco Fenice (financial)
Since          S1
Last Season    Title in the Serie A, qualifying round CC
Won            8 Serie A titles (last S16), 5 Coppa delle Stella (last S15)
Region         San Pancrazio

Outgoing - Pietro Spedalieri (Madonna Nottori, 0.5 mil), Giovanni Fontana (SSD Borgonovo, 0.2 mil), Ciro Sandri (Inter Catrallo, 0.2 mil)
Incoming - Tommaso Crilese (Esca Unione, 1.2 mil), Alberto Sgarbi (Virtus Redoccio, 0.4 mil), Ercole Labrazzi (youth academy)

Last Season - The season commenced with some question marks surrounding the Olimpico as the navy-white saw long-time manager depart after a falling out with the board. Newcomer Tumellero had shown promise with Montelcampo, but would he be able to stand the heat of a club for which a trophy is a minimal requirement? Tumellero took his time to build without losing sight of what really matters in football: results. The impressive run in the Challengers Cup, which required an international household name such as Maal Daemons to keep them out of the group stage, ensured sufficient goodwill from the fans during a patchy opening run in the Serie Nazionale. His communication style, confident yet open, got him on the right page with staff, fans and players alike.

But it was in the Serie A that Catrallo Calcio truly showed their pedigree. Clinical in front of goal, spearheaded by a once more deadly Garofalo, they rampaged over the opposition and captured the title with an impressive 26 points out of 30. The system, a 3-5-2, mimicked the Anza era but with more movement and rotation in midfield. It also allowed Emilio Salvatori, the brilliant but fragile playmaker, to evolve into his best version and grab the Player of the Year award. Most of the silverware that night was for the Calcio players, with Bryony Lindt grabbing the Golden Glove - she had made a sometimes hesitant back three a reliable unit and her flute concerto on top of the bus during the title celebrations will go down in the club’s lore.

Targets and Means - Never change a winning team and the Catrallo Calcio management definitely honoured that adagio - it must be noted that as a key figure in the market, this partially locked up the whole domestic window with few moves. Yet, they seem right as if anything, they’ve let go of some (young) reserves to expand the group allowing competing at three fronts - especially as the early cup loss formed a bit of a blemish on last season’s record. In front of the undisputed Nepharim stronghold Lindt, one has five defenders which can be used interchangeably. The usual combination of the strong Rocca, the intelligent Lucarelli and the no-nonsense Dema seemed the most likely but their positions will be under fire: the creative Viveiros showed his potential already and took steps up whilst signing former DBC winner Crilese from Esca is quite a power move. Adding one of the hottest young talents just to expand your options, it shows their muscle. Tumellero has options in abundance and with clever rotation, the defensive part should be stronger than ever.

The balance is assured by Mascolo and Di Masi - not the most flashy names but very astute in their role. They provide the breathing space for the big names to shine, with Emilio Salvatori as key one. His transfer from Virtus to Calcio was disputed but after a tough start, he rose to the occasion. He’s a shy, modest man but a hawk on the pitch who pops up in the danger zone for a goal or a last touch more often than not. This year, the added value once more has been brought in from Virtus. Sgarbi fell out with management, fans and board there in his maiden year and got on the market for half his value - an exceptional opportunity. Calcio took it up, in part to annoy Redoccio so they can call them a “feeder team”, in part because Sgarbi is a technical gem - but he comes with an instruction manual. His spot in the line-up of the champion is not assured: Moreschini is an impeccable homegrown box-to-box and Agostinone looks slow but can crack the code against any opponent.

Whilst Agostinone is a lockpick, they do have a sledgehammer in the arsenal as well with Carmine Garofalo. Il Buffalo is bulky, boisterous and bizarrely strong in the box. With forty goals in forty-one confrontations, his goal ratio peaks the last few years and every defender in the league gets weak knees from his presence. On top of that, he’s rarely injured so Tumellero only needs to chose who will assist him: the industrious Spadoni who seems to have settled for the second fiddle in the attacking line-up or the short speedboat Vitteriti who is a fan favourite. What makes this Catrallo Calcio even stronger is the quality on the bench so it is difficult to see past them as the team to beat for the title (and even double). As long as the defining trio Lindt, Salvatori and Garofalo remain in form, there seems little which can stop Catrallo Calcio - but their rare achilles heel might be that these unique types don’t have a pound-for-pound alternative.

Selection

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo  
GK   1  Bryony Lindt           NPH   27   S16  Start     44    0  Chardonnay R./NPH   44    0
GK  17  Luca Dolci             SOR   18   S16  Bench      0    0  Youth                0    0
CD   3  Federico Dema          SOR   29   S12  Start    160   12  Esca Unione        288   19
CD   4  Giuseppe Rocca         SOR   25   S15  Start     70    1  Inter Catrallo     164    2
CD   5  Gaetano Lucarelli ©    SOR   32   S07  Start    327   17  Catrallo Athletic  327   17
CD   2  Tommaso Crilese        SOR   22   S17  Bench      0    0  Esca Unione        112    3
CD  13  Vito Puma Viveiros     TEQ   21   S16  Bench     21    1  SC Pedregal/TQL     21    1
CD  22  Gennaro Di Livio       SOR   35   S08  Res      191   19  Fagli Cinq.        332   24
CD  25  Ercole Labrazzi        SOR   18   S17  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
DM   8  Alessio Di Masi        SOR   25   S13  Start    142   26  Robur Astello      217   34
DM  15  Mattia Brescia         SOR   28   S15  Bench     26    1  Sportiva Montelc.  143    5
CM   6  Fabio Mascolo          SOR   26   S11  Start    180   31  Youth              180   31
CM  19  Roberto Agostinone     SOR   33   S05  Bench    373   63  Esca Unione        393   64
CM  15  Mario Soppola          SOR   21   S15  Res        7    0  Youth                7    0
RM  29  Lorenzo Moreschini     SOR   22   S13  Start     90    9  Youth               90    9
AM  10  Emilio Salvatori       SOR   29   S16  Start     37   12  Virtus Redoccio    254   73
AM  24  Carlo Marchegiani      SOR   26   S13  Bench     71   13  Catrallo Athletic   71   13
AM  14  Albert Sgarbi          SOR   23   S17  Start      0    0  Virtus Redoccio    118   23
ST  11  Davide Spadoni         SOR   26   S14  Start     98   59  US San Savola      171   82
ST   9  Carmine Garofalo       SOR   31   S11  Start    210  197  Sportiva Montelc.  318  248
ST  20  Franco Vitteriti       SOR   28   S09  Bench     98   27  Youth               98   27
ST  12  Manuel Volpe           SOR   23   S16  Res        9    4  Gruppo Compatto      9    4

[San Ortelio]

Esca Unione
Your new favorite team if…
You like a side which you can recognize by style, even if they would play in black and white. You want a household name manager with a loyal troop and a pinch of lovely success. Or you’re a nostalgic Mytanar.

Details

Home Stadium   Stadio Scarpa (4400 seats)
Nickname       Il Esercito
Manager        Luigi Delphi
Sponsor        PescaFresca (fishing consortium)
Since          S1 (as AS Esca)
Last Season    Fourth in the Serie A
Won            3 Serie B titles (last S13)
Region         San Pancrazio

Outgoing - Tommaso Crilese (Catrallo Calcio, 1.2 mil), Carlo Albertoni (FC Pesari, 0.9 mil), Guido Miroli (Astello United, free), Paride Diquigiovanni (retired)
Incoming - Jordan Smith (SNL, SSD Borgonovo, 0.6 mil), Elio Valletti (Catrallo Athletic, 0.3 mil), Forzu-Lucex Yem (QUS, unattached, free), Francesco Zanon (youth academy)

Last Season - Somewhere halfway through the season, it did not look as if Esca Unione would escape a grey season. But in the business end of the Serie Nazionale, the troops from Luigi Delphi huddled up and managed to overcome the odds with three consecutive victories which slipped them into the Serie A. Delphi did not doubt his own system for this - an industrious midfield with a lot of movement and practically everything over the ground. It sufficed, thanks to Luigi D’Annunzio grabbing the momentum in his first season in the highest tier to successfully claim the role of leading striker. Before that, the season had been fairly grey, with mixed performances. Only Jacopo Burrai, making a decent claim for the role of third goalie in the National Team, and Carlo Albertoni, the metronome in midfield, seemed to escape the malaise.

As such, little was expected from the soldiers of Delphi in the Serie A, but nothing could be further removed from the truth. Their valiant effort in the Coppa, where Sportiva needed one-hundred-and-eighty minutes to slip past Esca, showed promise and they became a difficult cliff to circumnavigate for everyone. No wonder that the youngsters, Albertoni, Crilese and Nicoletti, charmed the top teams, they put up a fight against everyone. Still, the top four seemed set in stone, until Esca stunned Virtus Redoccio on their own pitch - a 1-2 that will have its spot in the hearts of the Unione fan, if only for the wonderful Roz free kick that decided the game. A vital score as it made them grab the IFCF ticket from the claws of one of the Big Three by picking up an unexpected fourth spot.

Targets and Means - The history of Esca Unione runs in ebbs and flows, with a remarkably precise rhythm and it does feel that the high form of the last three seasons might slip away this year. Luigi Delphi is a magician but at some point, you cannot sell your top talents every summer and expect the quality not to suffer from it. That Tommaso Crilese was bound to be picked up was no surprise but Albertoni leaving must hurt - some saw a potential club hero in him already. And as such, Luigi Delphi must once again build with the same tools as he does each year: a core of loyal soldiers, whatever rolls of the conveyor belt which forms their solid youth academy and trying to integrate some underestimated amateur. All of that collides in a 4-4-2 with positional flexibility but a well-defined playing style.

One relief for Il Esercito is the presence of Jacopo Burrai between the stakes: slightly bulky, short tempered when his defenders won’t listen but also a reliable presence in the box and a hero in a one-on-one situation. Salvatore Moscati remains a top-level defender and will find a complementary partner in South Newlandian Jordan Smith who blossomed in his first season with Borgonovo - he’s a nice steal from Delphi. The wingbacks are both peculiar types - Melchiorri would be a centre-back if he ever used his left foot for balling whilst Paulina Philipsdottir became an overnight fan sensation with her infiltrations. So far, so good, one would say and this section of the pitch will probably not shame them on their very first endeavour into the IFCF. Even if there are no major ambitions for the Challengers’ Cup, no one wants to make a bad impression when appearing at the international scene.

But Delphi starts the season with worries about his midfield. Valletti, elegant but untested at this level and might lack the required chemistry with Gabriele Tozzuolo - your archetypical no nonsense number six. Especially as there already is an inefficient dribbling primadonna around in the form of Falzerano. Let’s hope that Nicoletti can keep picking up those miles or the natural DNA of the club might be in danger - Delphi has after two decades at the helm the blessing from the management to stick to his guns, even if this means leaving an above-average winger such as Ciccone on the bench. The question remains who will feed the striking duo. Contrary to expectations, D’Annunzio evolved into a goalgetter, not in the least due to the wit and experience of Lenpi-Xelez Roz. The Qusmi striker turns positioning into an art form and gives the young pup to his side space to shine. The appreciation for him is evidenced that they scrounged the Qusmi market for a new reserve goalie. It is worrying that the stamina in his 38-year old legs might determine whether Esca Unione makes a tumble down the ranks or whether they manage to stay afloat in that traditionally tight middle pack of the Serie Nazionale. The towering Baiocco and the hardworking but limited Alessandro Tozzuolo won’t push them above average, that’s for sure. In a way, these lowered expectations could be a blessing in disguise for Delphi: the fans could well be satisfied with an average season with a handful of great games whilst staying out of danger. We’re afraid there’s not much more in the tank for them.

Selection

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo  
GK  13  Jacopo Burrai          SOR   24   S12  Start    106    0  Youth              106    0 
GK   1  Forza-Lucex Yem        QUS   18   S17  Bench      0    0  Unattached/QUS       0    0
LD   5  Paolo Melchiorri       SOR   30   S13  Start     94    2  Fagli Cinquanta    140    3
LD  16  Ernesto Oliveto        SOR   27   S14  Res       44    1  Calabrese Club      58    1
CD  25  Jordan Smith           SNL   26   S17  Start     29    2  Sun City Atoms/SNL  29    2
CD   4  Salvatore Moscati ©    SOR   34   S05  Start    350   19  AS Esca            409   20
CD  99  Antonio Sobrero        SOR   32   S09  Bench    145    8  Inter Catrallo     190   10
RD   2  Paulina Philipsdottir  GRF   29   S16  Start     31    4  Maigburg/GRF        31    4
RD  28  Scotti Fusco           SOR   20   S16  Res        6    0  Youth                6    0
LM  18  Stefano Falzerano      SOR   31   S14  Start     87   17  Virtus Redoccio    195   44
LM  40  Francesco Zanon        SOR   18   S17  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
CM   6  Gabriele Tozzuolo      SOR   28   S07  Start    254   46  Youth              254   46
CM   8  Elio Valletti          SOR   23   S17  Start      0    0  Catrallo Athletic    0    0
CM  26  Domenico Tazzeri       SOR   25   S15  Bench     31    4  Madonna Nottori     93    9
RM  14  Francesco Nicoletti    SOR   22   S14  Start     64   13  Lovani FC           64   13
LW  17  Alessio Zambataro      SOR   31   S11  Bench     91   15  FC Orsi            101   16
RW  21  Riccardo Ciccone       SOR   28   S16  Bench     66   11  Fagli Cinquanta    179   27
ST  10  Alessandro Tozzuolo    SOR   30   S06  Bench    254   70  Youth              254   70
ST   9  Stefano Baiocco        SOR   34   S12  Bench     97   19  Robur Astello      184   39 
ST  20  Luigi D’Annunzio       SOR   22   S16  Start     30   17  VC Pesari           30   17
ST  19  Lenpi-Xelez Roz        QUS   38   S16  Start     25   13  KFC Pretarijz/QUS   25   13
ST  23  Mattia Alba            SOR   20   S15  Res        3    0  Youth                3    0

[San Ortelio]

Fagli Cinquanta
Your new favorite team if…
You don’t mind that your side is bankrolled by a shady businessman - a small squad developing into a force by buying known names on a sidetrack is the train you want to jump on.

Details

Home Stadium   Stadio Scarpa (4400 seats)
Nickname       La Fa
Manager        Mario Anza
Sponsor        DiCallare (construction)
Since          S5
Last Season    Sixth in the Serie B, Final of the Coppa
Won            One Coppa delle Stella (last S8)
Region         San Pancrazio

Outgoing - Edoardo Ferrera (Sportiva Montelcampo, 0.4 mil), Elia Scardina (Robur Astello, 0.2 mil), Davide Saputo (Motori Vitali, free), Simone Ferrario (Fagli Amicale, free), Francesco Losa (assistant coach)
Incoming - Yannis Kinsella (TKT, Morannon Athletic FC, TKT, 0.6 mil), Yannick Rodgers (NPH, Arrowsmith, EUR, 0.5 mil), Cesar Giandonato (US San Savola, 0.3 mil), Simen Haukland (BYN, Pikemouth, BRE, free), Daniele Liretta (youth)

Last Season - The last season marked the first from the ‘new Fagli project’. Long time owner Renzo Di Callare decided to up the budget - instigated by his son Enzo who now assumes the role of day-to-day president. To say that the results are mixed might be stating the obvious. Their first step was to bring in Mario Anza, sacked over at Catrallo Calcio but still a man with a few titles on the mantle and a clear opinion on football. An opinion he likes to share as does the president of La Fa leading to a few interesting spat-outs in the press. And with the season going as it was going - including missing out on the Serie A by a point before the club played like a wet towel in the Serie B - it’s a surprise both remain in their respective position.

That might have to do with the Coppa during which everything seemed to click, although a fairly easy road to the final did help. At such times, we could appreciate the raw talent of Tosi, the experience of Pompa and most notably the efficiency from Chikelu Okonye. The Osarian striker formed a vital element in Cinquanta’s production this season, as difficult as it was to find the right attacking partner for him. His connection with Laghi on (and off) the pitch appeared strained, young prodigy Simonetti is extremely goal oriented and Pannati is a beloved local chap but lacks that bit of class. In these circumstances, it’s a miracle he single-handedly got to 24 strikes and luckily so, because it was all that stood between them and falling out of the first tier. In the end, they needed a hard fought victory over Politecnica on the penultimate match day to secure a prolonged stay - far too close for comfort, especially considering the investments made.

Targets and Means - Di Callare decided to stick to the same formula, that is, pumping high wages in known quantities which for some reason or another became available at the transfer market. According to some fact checkers, Fagli now pays out the fourth highest salary budget - something which isn’t fully reflected in the selection quality. Filippo Pompa could not stabilize the defense and will now have to fight for his position with Giandonato who leaves the number one position at San Savola for a better paycheck. Experience is also brought in at the back with Simen Haukland, whose years in the A-League must add something, but it won’t be speed or agility. The whole defensive line seems a bit stuck in that vein, something bemoaned by Anza before but apparently he didn’t have the final say in the transfers. Only Labruzzo really deserves a second look in that compartment of the pitch.

Still, there is a reasonable belief that Fagli will not have to battle for its ticket till the last minute this year and that is due to the quality in midfield - everything is available even if the qualities are split across the different players quite clearly. Yang Tao has the creativity of a bag of flour but his capacity to break down attacks is often overlooked and crucial in the balance. Newcomer Kinsella owns the vision and passing to open up opportunities and the fury to [s]smack the referee[/s] light the fire. Add to that Faini, a three-lunged element and the creative yet mentally fragile Lorenzi Tosi and you’ve got yourself a well-balanced midfield. Or the recipe for an explosion. It must be said that there even is strength in depth with work horse Gennusi and the slow but crafty Maio.

Football is a game of goals so it feels as if the difference between another drab year and an attempt to bridge across the lead group lies in the hands of Chikelu Okonye. The pacy forward remains a specific type and the transfer market was scrounged for someone who can mix and match his rushes. Eventually, Fagli ended up with Nepharim Rodgers - another player with a background in far more prestigious leagues and a bit of unfinished business. If their collective revenge fuel ignites, Fagli could be blasting away: it won’t always be nice, but it will be worth a follow. In doing so, Anza will have to manage the expectations of his substitutes: Laghi did not join from Pesari on a big wage to spend his days on the bench, youngster Simonetti deserves a better chance after plucking eight goals out of so little minutes and if things go awry the crowd always wants Panatti - even if he’s possibly the worst player of the selection. Add to the surprising departure of captain Ferrera and appreciated goalie Scardella - both against the will of the stands - and it is clear that there will be little margin for error for the starting eleven. And let ‘being flawless’ be exactly what their track record doesn’t show.

Selection

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo
GK   1  Cesar Giandonato       SOR   29   S17  Start      0    0  US San Savola      126    0
GK  22  Filippo Pompa          SOR   29   S16  Bench     28    0  Catrallo Calcio    171    0
LD  19  Stefano D’Ausilio      SOR   23   S14  Res       17    0  Youth               17    0
LD   2  Luca Ghidotti ©        SOR   32   S11  Start    159   10  Esca Unione        222   12
CD   3  Simen Haukland         BYN   36   S17  Start      0    0  Pikemouth/BRE        0    0
CD   4  Mirco Rossi            SOR   37   S03  Bench    314   12  Politecnica Foot   314   12
CD  23  Michele Marchetti      SOR   25   S13  Start     79    2  Virtus Redoccio     83    2
CD  29  Iuri Stucci            SOR   21   S15  Res        8    0  Youth                8    0
RD  14  Matteo Labruzzo        SOR   24   S15  Start     62    4  Sportiva Montelc.   62    4
RD  17  Daniele Liretta        SOR   19   S17  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
DM   6  Antonio Lamberti       SOR   37   S12  Bench    123    7  Esca Unione        258   11
DM  16  Yang Tao               YZH   26   S16  Start     35    4  Yincheng Cap./YZH   35    4
CM   8  Michele Faini          SOR   25   S13  Start    120   15  Inter Catrallo     131   15
CM  21  Carlo Gennusi          SOR   31   S16  Bench     26    2  Virtus Redoccio    105    6
CM  15  Yannis Kinsella        TKT   31   S17  Start      0    0  Morannon Ath./TKT    0    0
AM  10  Lorenzo Tosi           SOR   24   S15  Start     65   19  Catrallo Calcio     84   22
AM  17  Giorgio Maio           SOR   21   S14  Bench     41    7  Youth               41    7
LA  22  Giancarlo Laghi        SOR   34   S16  Bench     21    7  FC Pesari          232   55
ST  26  Chikelu Okonye         OSR   29   S16  Start     34   24  FC Capri/VAL        34   24
ST  11  Yannick Rodgers        NPH   31   S17  Start      0    0  Arrowsmith/EUR       0    0
RA  60  Filippo Pannati        SOR   26   S08  Res      129   19  Youth              129   19
RA  42  Alex Simonetti         SOR   20   S15  Bench     27    9  Youth               27    9

[San Ortelio]

FC Pesari
Your new favorite team if…
You like to support the challenger. Not the capital, but the second biggest town. Not the money club, but the one that has enough money to fight for titles while acting as the underdog.

Details

Home Stadium   Stadio del Fiume (5800 seats)
Nickname       I Papagalli
Manager        Giorgio Guerra
Sponsor        ReZix (HR)
Since          S1
Last Season    Second in the Serie A, third prelim of the Challengers Cup
Won            3 Serie A titles (last S16), three Coppa delle Stella (last S10)
Region         San Bonifazio

Outgoing - Giacomo Favaro (Miruan City FC, TKT, 4 mil), Roberto Pella (Pro Stampano, 0.4 mil), Alessandro Vantaggia (retired)
Incoming - Jessica Murphy (CDG, Chester Gunslingers, CDG, 2.2 mil), Carlo Albertoni (Esca Unione, 0.9 mil), Gennaro Raltano (Politecnica, 0.5 mil)

Last Season - For long, this looked like a second consecutive successful season for the yellow and blue. In the Serie Nazionale, the squad dominated the opposition together with Calcio and the two duels against the direct opponent were exciting. Beating Montreal Koreana and pushing FC Yassaca to penalties formed a proper first appearance at the international scene. Giacomo Favaro grew in his role as mastermind of the team whilst newcomer Jules Haney not only assured a steady production but also took young gun Spaviero by the hand. Add to that a fine debut from Walter Moro as starting goalie and it seemed as if Guerra could let his boys fight for a second consecutive title. With a grand total of twenty victories in the first twenty-six competition games, they were steamrolling ahead.

And then it all fell apart. Both Calcio and FC were on ten points after four games into the Serie A, but in the direct duel, Favaro got neutralized and the match ended in a hard but correct 0-3. To make matters worse, Haney suffered an ACL injury which saw him out for the business end of the year. One week later, Pesari failed to regroup ahead of the Coppa tie with Sportiva and the aspired double had slipped away. The remaining five games delivered only five points and a lot of frustration: doubt surfaced and weaknesses showed. Corriere and Rota held themselves but the left side of the back four faltered. Spaviero could not carry the attack and didn't produce any goal. But the main issue lay in Favaro who saw around him the work of years fall apart just when he wanted to harvest...

Targets and Means - That an international departure for the 24-year old midfielder was an option came as no surprise. But his three seasons with I Pappagalli ended with dissatisfaction for board, player and fans, leaving all parties unfulfilled. After this cold shower, it was a matter of regrouping for Giorgio Guerra, the rarely highlighted manager. Known for his psychological strength with players, it came a bit as a surprise that he opted to invest the bulk of Favaro's voluptuous transfer sum into a striker. This means a step back for Spaviero who was not flawless in his first year as starter but still scored sixteen times - at 21. It must be added that Spaviero will get replaced by a potentially higher calibre in Dagan talent Jessica Murphy, a key factor in the promotion of her club back home. If she links up with the reliable Haney, this could be the strongest attacking pairing of the league - add to that a supersub in Spaviero and this segment of the pitch is overpowered. That is, if Guerra can assure that all three remain satisfied in their respective role.

At the opposite side of the field, Walter Moro starts his second year between the stakes. Having big shoes to fill as the replacement from Lanzafame with just a few games in the highest tier after his name, the DBC winner did a good job and should develop further in his role. What he still misses in leadership gets compensated by Matteo Corriere. The Audioslavian dropped more than a few tiers, leaving the AC Izotz Zubia bench, and evolved into a natural leader - no wonder he carried the captains ribbon in absence of Zanoni. His partnership with Mazziero is not perfect over being similar types, so the staff must hope that Gioia takes a next step. Whilst right back Rota is as good as it gets, many were surprised that a left back was not acquired. There is a lot of pressure on Ercole Venturato, considered too bulky and slow for his role, to step it up. If he can do so, FC Pesari has a reliable defensive unit that can help them drag games over the line. But otherwise, the glaring hole from last season remains unplugged - and now everyone knows about it from the start.

And still, the main worry from the fans will be positioned in midfield. Seeing Giacomo Favaro sign off did great things for the treasury but it cannot be overlooked that he formed the glue that held it all together: impeccable passing, lots of ground covered and a danger in the box. All these tasks will need to be redistributed in the midfield diamond. Attilio Quintarelli, still only 21 and - despite the early group exit - a stand-out player in the DBC50 squad, makes a modern, solid defensive player with good feet. Dropping deep next to him, Zanoni is a club icon but the years start to weigh him down a little. Next to him, he has Bortolotto who should expand his action radius but he doesn’t have the golden feet. As such, inspiration is expected from one of the newcomers. Albertoni definitely played his part in the strong season from Esca Unione and is versatile, whilst Raltano, the key figure of surprise package Politecnica, is more of a pure ten. Both of them suit the typical Pesari transfer: players who did well for a lower-ranked squad get picked up at before being 25. Yet, the moderate transfer sum on both serves as a bit of a warning, neither seems assured of a breakthrough now it is a matter of ‘must’ rather than ‘can’. Pesari can be the challenger of Catrallo Calcio - it has the strikers for it and a solid defense - but as long as it is unclear how much of the Favaro-shaped hole remains unplugged, they might sink to the second group.

Selection

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo 
GK   1  Walter Moro            SOR   22   S16  Start     34    0  Virtus Redoccio     43    0
GK  22  Aniello Furlan         SOR   34   S11  Bench     25    0  VC Pesari           25    0
LD  13  Giancarlo Passuello    SOR   32   S04  Bench    339    3  Youth              339    3
LD   3  Ercole Venturato       SOR   25   S14  Start     74    3  Robur Astello      135    4
CD   4  Pietro Mazziero        SOR   29   S07  Start    234    8  Youth              234    8
CD  26  Giuseppe Proietto      SOR   30   S14  Res       26    0  Inter Catrallo     171    1
CD  17  Alberto Gioia          SOR   20   S16  Bench      4    0  Youth                4    0
CD  18  Matteo Corriere        AUD   34   S16  Start     35    2  AC Izotz Zubia/AUD  35    2
RD   5  Alessio Rota           SOR   28   S13  Start    132   20  Sportiva Montelc.  250   32
RD   2  Fabrizio Partipilo     SOR   23   S12  Bench     33    1  Youth               29    1
DM  15  Attilio Quintarelli    SOR   21   S15  Start     62    8  US San Savola       92   10
DM   6  Gioacchino Russo       SOR   34   S03  Bench    230   21  Youth              230   21
CM   8  Sandro Zanoni ©        SOR   34   S12  Start    166   28  Sportiva Montelc.  404   72
CM  14  Carlo Albertoni        SOR   23   S17  Bench      0    0  Esca Unione        109   14
CM   7  Alberto Bortolotto     SOR   24   S13  Start    106   17  Pro Stampano       128   19
CM  30  Emanuele Mammarella    SOR   20   S15  Res        7    1  Youth                7    1
AM  10  Gennaro Raltano        SOR   23   S17  Start      0    0  Politecnica          0    0
AM  24  Eberardo San Pietro    SOR   19   S16  Res        3    0  Youth                3    0
ST   9  Jules Haney            TKT   32   S16  Start     29   23  Octo Valley FC/SQR  29   23
ST  11  Jessica Murphy         CDG   21   S17  Start      0    0  Chester Guns./CDG    0    0
ST  19  Dennis Spaviero        SOR   21   S14  Bench     69   32  Youth               69   32
ST  13  Michele Cambasso       SOR   25   S10  Res       25    3  Youth               25    3

[San Ortelio]

Inter Catrallo
Your new favorite team if…
You hate Calcio. You like the alternative side of the city, with trendy outfits but also grit. You hate Calcio. You want quiet transfer seasons. You really hate Calcio.

Details

Home Stadium   Olimpico (9000 seats)
Nickname       Il Viola
Manager        Pietro Fezzardi
Sponsor        Mapeo (building materials)
Since          S1
Last Season    Second in the Serie B
Won            2 Serie B titles (last S9)
Region         San Pancrazio

Outgoing - Simone Tebaldi (Madonna Nottori, exchange), Guido Gorini (FC Orsi, 0.1 mil), Filippo Loreto (Lovani FC, free), Luigi Tascone (Porto Querio, free)
Incoming - Ciro De Luca (Madonna Nottori, exchange + 0.1 mil), Ciro Sandri (Catrallo Calcio, 0.3 mil), Luigi Valetti (youth academy)

Last Season - At face value, it looked like a regular season for Inter, ending up just a few points short to qualify for the Serie A before making a decent appearance in the Serie B - once again managing to come close without actually grabbing it. It is not uncommon for the second side from the capital who have molted their whole image around not being Calcio - which as a consequence means that they avoid the successes from the national hegemon. And still, this result set represented quite a satisfactory end to what has been a difficult twelve months for the purple squad. Manager Fezzardi aspired to drag his team away from the rumble-tumble tactics previously envisaged but suffered quite a blow when lead striker Giovanni Saligari got knocked out of the race in game four of the year. It placed the weight of the attack on newcomer Bignami, but the Big Man - nicknamed the Donkey for his physical or mental capacities, pending on whom you ask - could not carry the weight of the team. Especially as the midfield got catered towards a passing game, leading to a failed link with Fabiano Scirea, by far the most technically astute of the selection, who couldn't make his mark.

As such, with only nine points in the first thirteen games, Inter looked to be in dire straits. A slightly surprising victory over Esca did lift the spirits and with Saligari returning for the tail end of the year, Inter managed to end the year in a good mood. Even if the Serie B was not won, we could see which road forward was aspired by the coach and the board, and this mix of the old values (hardworking grit) and new creativity seems to suit the increasingly mixed supporters clan. Was Inter traditionally the club of the dockers, then we now see more and more students on the stands who don’t have local roots but like to rebel against the almighty reputation of Catrallo Calcio. It gives the Olimpico, in theory too large for the fan base from this club, still a decent, old school atmosphere in their home games: this is a top tier heckling stand.

Targets and Means - Inter Catrallo is known to having an impressively consistent transfer policy with few moves and a focus on retaining the existing squad. This year is no stranger to that and one of the few moves is an evenly classical transfer: picking up the young Catrallo Calcio sub who is disgruntled about his playing chances. Ciro Sandri is the fourth of those in the line-up, despite being linked to Catrallo Athletic before. A crafty defender, he is a bit too eager to push forward - much like fellow youngster and counterpart Chiurato - but fortunately for him, the cement block which anchors the system has not been altered. Captain Calcaterra and Brenecian Kerraway earned themselves the nickname ‘the Smash Bros’: their defensive style is unorthodox and their lack of technique eye watering but they manhandle their direct opponent just enough to keep this ship afloat. Still, they don’t rack up as many yellow cards as the man behind them, former club bouncer Davide Roscioli. Notorious for his unconventional methods and out-of-the-box tackles, he amassed seven weeks on the sin bin last year, so it’s good that Pandolfi isn’t that bad either. And Roscioli might be a liability and a nutcase, he is also a good shotstopper and very present in the box.

With them in order, Fezzardi hopes to capitalize on the added automatisms of his unchanged midfield quartet. Gallicardi is, especially for a side with the reputation of Inter, a surprisingly all-round defensive midfielder whilst the hardworking Eros Fidanza vacuum cleans the region with his miles. It creates a block on which the others should be able to build. Many no longer wonder when but if Guiseppe Aymo will finally explode: he seems to have the whole skillset but struggles to appear in the business end. Still, those who train with him claim it is just a matter of time and when it happens, Inter Catrallo will have a playmaker that is very difficult to track down. Right now, that role is more assumed by the elegant Scirea. An admirer of backheels and no-look-passes himself, Scirea is the kind of player for whom you go to the stadium, even if his teammates get annoyed for his disdain towards defending. Unfortunately, Scirea does get injured every once and a while and club monument Dotti - whom no one dares to say it’s time to retire - can’t handle ninety minutes. For that purpose, Ciro De Luca was shipped in from Nottori: he never became that finished product, but could be valuable off the bench.

In attack, an unharmed season should see the striking duo reach their full potential. Whilst Bignami is a limited pile of meat, Giovanni Saligari shares the physical strength but adds a bit more finesse to the mix. Both can knock in a header, but whilst Bignami will opt for power, Saligari tends to find the unprotected corner. Without ever really putting a claim on the Golden Boot, Saligari made it into the small circle of forwards with over a hundred goals in the league, a testimony to his value. It is the result of seasons on end with double figures. As such, he forms an comforting assurance just by being on the pitch, giving the whole side a bit more peace of mind to bring in their bit of the puzzle. In his absence, there might be struggle as Marchese is not a converter whilst Loreto might follow his brother soon - to the amateur league. But if Saligari makes it through the year healthy, he might lead Inter to repeat their performance of S15: making their way to the top-six and the Serie A, tickling the big squads on the day. That would truly be a job well done for Inter.

Selection

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo
GK   1  Davide Roscioli        SOR   29   S11  Start    180    0  Catrallo Calcio    189    0
GK  13  Daniele Pandolfi       SOR   22   S14  Bench     13    0  Youth               13    0
LD   2  Giuseppe Nicoletti     SOR   34   S15  Bench     59    3  Sportiva Montelc.  234    7
LD  21  Ciro Sandri            SOR   20   S17  Start     11    0  Catrallo Calcio     11    0
CD   3  Mariano Calcaterra ©   SOR   30   S05  Start    265    3  Youth              265    3
CD   5  Evan Kerraway          BRE   33   S16  Start     38    1  Falkner United/BRE  38    1
CD   4  Luigi Valetti          SOR   19   S17  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
RD  17  Mirko Chiurato         SOR   20   S15  Start     48    0  Youth               48    0
RD  25  Stefano Abagnale       SOR   27   S08  Bench    111    2  Youth              111    2
DM  16  Roberto Cecchin        SOR   28   S12  Bench    123    3  Fagli Cinquanta    203    4
DM  18  Illario Gallicardi     SOR   25   S09  Start    111    4  Youth              111    4
DM   6  Eros Fidanza           SOR   31   S13  Start    124    3  Robur Astello      237    4
DM  22  Luca Signorelli        SOR   20   S16  Res        2    0  Youth                2    0
CM  14  Giuseppe Aymo          SOR   23   S14  Start     71    1  Catrallo Calcio     74    1
AM  10  Fabiano Scirea         SOR   26   S12  Start    147   23  Madonna Nottori    191   25
AM  23  Marco Dotti            SOR   37   S06  Bench    330   46  Catrallo Calcio    377   50
AM  15  Flavio D’Oriano        SOR   24   S14  Res       29    2  Politecnica Foot    29    2
AM  16  Ciro De Luca           SOR   25   S17  Bench      0    0  Madonna Nottori     85    8
ST   9  Giovanni Saligari      SOR   31   S10  Start    210   89  SSD Borgonovo      329  116
ST  11  Emanuele Bignami       SOR   28   S16  Start     37   12  Fagli Cinquanta    223   65
ST  22  Raffaele Marchese      SOR   22   S13  Bench     76    9  Youth               76    9
ST  37  Antonio Loreto         SOR   20   S15  Res       19    4  Youth               19    4

[San Ortelio]

Madonna Nottori
Your new favorite team if…
You do not mind losing - it’s part of life and after all, doesn’t it define the true fan? To fly his colors despite the loss? Well, plenty of opportunities for that with Madonna.

Details

Home Stadium   Dietro Baracche (3000 seats)
Nickname       Il Cavalli
Manager        Carlo Pecorino
Sponsor        Elegante (cooking materials)
Since          S6
Last Season    Fourth in the Serie B
Won            Nothing
Region         San Mamerto

Outgoing - Giacomo Nobile (US San Savola, 0.3 mil), Ciro De Luca (Inter Catrallo, exchange + 0.1 mil), Andrea Di Pasquale (RES Quartella, 0.2 mil)
Incoming - Pietro Spedalieri (Catrallo Calcio, 0.5 mil), Simone Tebaldi (Inter Catrallo, exchange), Niccolo Galli (SSD Borgonovo, 0.2 mil), Giacinto Di Nunzio (Motori Vitale, 0.1 mil), Pasquale Carranante (youth academy)

Last Season - In a very peculiar way, it has been a successful year for Madonna Nottori as Il Cavalli still haven’t dropped to the second tier. That must be worth something after all. In the first part of the Serie Nazionale, they even played some quality football at times with the addition of powerhouse and vice-captain Laurence Bryger giving them a bit more composure. Quickly nicknamed the Brenecian Stallion (that rhymes in our dialect) for his towering presence in the midfield, he added a much needed bit of backbone and at times, this allowed them to reach their striking pairing. That duo became a smashing hit, much against everyone’s expectations.

Roberto Tebaldi is an unpolished forward who came in from the amateur tier but immediately smashed all goalscoring records, being the first Madonna forward to score twenty goals in a year since their promotion to the Serie Nazionale. Not everybody is a fan of his ‘run forward, push defender, kick ball hard’ policy but it gave them teeth. Add to that young dog Granocche, rash, annoying but also adding great numbers for an eighteen-year old. Did that make Nottori a good team overnight? No. Definitely not. Defensively, Nobile remained one of the better elements but his antics were not always appreciated and the lack of depth in that half of the pitch cost them points. But the fact that they now have someone who converts their chances, allowed them now to do their usual Houdini trick: playing god awful in the Serie Nazionale but making enough of their limited means to stay adrift in the Serie B. And after all, what more could Nottori ask for?

Targets and Means - And so, Madonna Nottori starts their twelfth consecutive year in the highest tier with the same target as usual, using the Nazionale as the training ground do build up the momentum to scrounge enough points in the Serie B for another of these cycles. This will no longer be with Giuseppe Gremio at the helm. A notable decision as Gremio grew into the role as a local, something which in this small town counts for something. Nottori, a notably pastoral place in our coastal country, often gets its laughs as the ‘sheepherders’ so replacing him with a guy whose last name translates in Ortelian as ‘sheep cheese’ will not immediately make the mocking stop. It must be added that the ambitious former professional doesn’t suit their usual coaching profile: Pecorino implied that he wants Nottori in the Serie A in three seasons.

Quite an ambition especially considering the financial means - the transfer season once more read as focused on balancing the books rather than reinforcing the selection. There was no talent such as Davide Trillo to sell: Granocche has potential to be in that category but most buyers want to see a bit of consistency first considering his quite ‘enthusiast’ attitude. So it were the guys in their mid-twenties that had to be monetized this time. Andrea Di Pasquale never grew into the desired striker and parts for a project in the amateur circuit. Giacomo Nobile made himself impossible with some remarks that didn’t sit well with the fans (“I’m keeping these bozo’s in the first tier”) and gets shipped off to San Savola for a bit less than his market value. It puts quite some pressure on youngster Ioime, not impeccable in his few appearances, as a first striker. Old-timer and journeyman Di Nunzio joins his record ninth pro club to step in as back-up.

To shore up the back four, Simone Tebaldi comes in from an Inter Catrallo where he was used sparingly. In theory, this could be a good move: Pasciolo was decent in his first season as a professional but desperately needs guidance when club hero Rocchi inevitably starts to feel the years. In this, Tebaldi combines a good amount of games with a future, yet one can wonder why no other side was interested. And as funds are limited, it did cost Nottori De Luca, one of the few creative players in the selection. The midfield is, all in all, quite poor so it will be another season of Bryger trying to keep things together - he must wonder how on earth he ended up here from an iconic side as Lammerton. Or we could see the explosion of Pietro Spedalieri. According to those in the know, he showed great prodigy with the Calcio Primavera but he didn’t yet got (or earned) a proper chance with the first side. Nottori is willing to give the graceful but fickle playmaker the keys to their ride: will he push it in an extra gear or crash it against the wall? As such, the hope for a prolonged stay sits in the hands of striking duo Tebaldi and Granocche. They do away a bit with the likeable nature of ‘little’ Nottori but should give them teeth (and goals) instead.

Selection

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo 
GK  12  Vincenzo Ioime         SOR   21   S16  Start      4    0  Youth                4    0
GK   1  Giacinto Di Nunzio     SOR   41   S17  Bench      0    0  Motori Vitale      139    0
LD   2  Luca Perini            SOR   30   S16  Start     33    0  Inter Catrallo     170    3
LD  15  Claudio Migliorini     SOR   24   S15  Res        9    0  Sparta Varisa        9    0
CD   3  Angelo Rocchi ©        SOR   35   S02  Start    422    4  Youth              422    4
CD   4  Simone Tebaldi         SOR   25   S17  Bench      0    0  Inter Catrallo     103    2
CD  13  Manuele Masini         SOR   28   S13  Bench     94    4  US San Savola      151    7
CD  20  Simone Pasciolo        SOR   24   S16  Start     32    2  Nottori Duo         32    2
RD   6  Lorenzo Scrugli        SOR   29   S06  Bench    258    8  Youth              258    8
RD  25  Salvatore Germinale    SOR   23   S15  Start     26    3  Gruppo Compatto     26    3
DM  18  Dario Nocciolini       SOR   32   S13  Start    123    2  Sportiva Montelc.  174    6
DM  24  Leonardo Tartaglia     SOR   20   S16  Res        2    0  Youth                2    0
CM   8  Simone Scrugli         SOR   27   S09  Start    180   12  Youth              180   12
CM   7  Laurence Bryger        BRE   34   S16  Start     35    5  Lammerton/SCT       35    5
CM  99  Pasquale Carranante    SOR   19   S17  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
CM  19  Marco Donzetti         SOR   29   S15  Bench     38    3  Fratelli d’Anezzo   97    7
AM  14  Vittorio Scrugli       SOR   32   S04  Bench    257   15  Youth              257   15
AM  21  Pietro Spedalieri      SOR   20   S17  Start      0    0  Catrallo Calcio      1    0
ST   9  Roberto Tebaldi        SOR   25   S16  Start     32   21  FC Orsi             32   21
ST  18  Federico Granocche     SOR   19   S16  Start     26   13  Youth               26   13
ST  11  Niccolo Galli          SOR   22   S17  Bench      0    0  SSD Borgonovo       62    8
ST  23  Niccolo Tazza          SOR   34   S13  Bench     46    2  Inter Catrallo      83    4

[San Ortelio]

Pro Stampano
Your new favorite team if…
You like being frustrated and the laughing stock. But then again, if and when they do manage to break through, that last laugh will be a very good one. If.

Details

Home Stadium   Corsa Quersia (3500 seats)
Nickname       The Postmen
Manager        Romolo Pambianco
Sponsor        FederIT (IT services)
Since          S1
Last Season    Winner of the Serie B
Won            5 Serie B titles (last S16), 1 Coppa delle Stella (S9)
Region         Santa Sofia

Outgoing - Marco Iotti (Robur Astello, 0.5 mil), Christian Valeri (Sportiva Montelcampo, 0.3 mil), Franco Mattiolo (Young Boys Catrallo, free), Daniele Di Francesco (retired)
Incoming - Anderson Pill (CMT, GT Molding, GRF, 0.6 mil), Roberto Pella (FC Pesari, 0.4 mil), Ezerio Delafonte (youth academy), Patrizio Grillo (youth academy)

Last Season - Things did not go according to plan. In theory, they had a sly fox of a veteran at the helm with Ercole Baldini, a man with the tricks to guide a reinforced selection to the Serie A and to finally get rid of their image of the failing formation. It is hard to imagine now but a decade ago, Pro Stampano was the rising force of the footballing nation, aiming to turn the Big Three into a Big Four and with a Coppa on the shelf, things started to materialize. But ever since, each year came across more disastrous than the last one, despite starting over and over again with high ambitions. Baldini seemed on his way to at least live up to them till halfway the Serie Nazionale. A series of losses lost him a part of his dressing room, most notably the bulky striker Valeri - a duel that ended with a thrown door from the latter towards Baldini. The gaffer was given the chance to prove his point of view but failed to lead his squad to the Serie A.

As such, out with the old and in with the new, in this case Romolo Pambianco. Touted as a bit of a novelty, Pambianco earned his stripes as the assistant of Tumellero at Montelcampo and Catrallo. Ready for his first assignment as head coach, he first focussed on regrouping the troops. The ribbon was given to youngster Cappa, Valeri returned to the training grounds - but not to the starting eleven - and the tactical plan became a bit more playful than the shrewd but cynical Baldini proposed. Even if it didn’t always blossom, it did allow them to pip Inter Catrallo on the line for the Serie B trophy. The revamped Pro Stampano did not always look one hundred percent but then again, if just their buildup period suffices to give everyone from the B the slip, then they should at least knock at the door of the first six this year. Then again - that’s what we’ve been saying the last five years and that didn’t really work out either.

Targets and Means - In general, Romolo Pambianco was not dealt the worst of hands. This selection has a fair bit of talent and the cashflow can be considered as above average, allowing them to put their wages out. If one looks to the defensive compartment, one would assume stability: all names stayed aboard. It is nonetheless the result of a power struggle: not only has Ilari surpassed Trasciani as the leading defender, the latter also lost his role as leader in the dressing room. Considering the fact that his brother plays in goal at Pro, this has the potential of a powder keg under the chairs, but Pambianco claims that all is agreed upon. We must also note the presence of right back Carlo Qualla who struggled in the start but kept the confidence from both managers. He’s a sturdy yet mobile addition to an otherwise slightly static back four. Youngster Pilati could be the next one to break through - in due time, that is.

The midfield does show traces of a tactical overhaul from the gaffer. The old 4-2-2-2 gets thrown out for what must come closer to a 4-3-1-2. In this scheme, playmaker Sanmicheli should receive less tactical tasks and more playroom to showcase his skills - the Savigliani already demonstrated some of that but his form curve was slightly capricious, not a surprise in a squad with a rollercoaster form. This means that the club parts ways with Marco Iotti. The grandstand hero should be in his prime but the speed from the petite midfielder never really materialized into amazing statistics. It does put a bit of added pressure on Sanmicheli - he must make the fans forget about Iotti. He will have the support of a trio that has physical prowess and the capacity to press opposition out of space as their main assets. Polidori ranks as a limited but loyal soldier, Cappa on the other hand has the potential to become a club hero - a leader at twenty-three, but does everyone accept that role of his? On the pitch, these two can now count on Anderson Pill. The positive experience with Ransom inspired the board to add a compatriot of her in the form of the strong Molding midfielder. Used to covering a lot of space, Pambianco wants to see him (and Cappa) infiltrate and act as a box-to-box.

As such, they should support Lenore Ransom and Roberto Pella, the new duo up front - it can be noted that two up front is quite the fashion in San Ortelio. Last year, the pairing of the nimble Chromatik and the bulky Valeri should have been gold but they didn’t click on the pitch - her dribbles and his runs did not work out - or off the pitch - his constant blabbing about cars apparently did not impress. Things should match better with Pella, a man used to acting as the feeding striker and an above-average painter. Even if his impact on I Pappagalli dwindled in the last year, a man with sixty-five goals for FC Pesari and still a good number of years left on the counter should be a reinforcement for Pro Stampano. It will be needed as the back-ups are lacking: Cianci never has been a goalgetter and Nannetti lacks the body. The quality of the bench will be a consistent worry for Pambianco: apart from Bunino and Pilati, none can match what should be between the lines. But the eleven that are look solid and slick. We’re inclined to call them Serie A material but with the history in mind, it just seems to be false hope ahead of a new disaster.

Selection

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo 
GK  13  Ettore Trasciani       SOR   28   S14  Start    102    0  SSD Borgonovo      231    0
GK  24  Ivan Siano             SOR   21   S15  Bench      2    0  Stampano Socio       2    0
LD   2  Mattia Arrigoni        SOR   25   S13  Start    104    1  Virtus Redoccio    112    1
LD  18  Gian Maria Cerretti    SOR   32   S10  Bench     74    1  Pro Patria Foot    135    3
CD  23  Luca Ilari             SOR   26   S15  Start     65    1  US San Savola      159    1
CD   3  Roberto Trasciani      SOR   33   S07  Start    302   23  FC Pesari          308   23
CD  26  Manuele Pilati         SOR   19   S16  Bench      8    0  Youth                8    0
CD  15  Patrizio Grillo        SOR   20   S17  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
RD  19  Simone Rossi           SOR   35   S09  Res      144    3  Sportiva Montelc.  243   12
RD   5  Carlo Qualla           SOR   21   S16  Start     36    1  FC Orsi             36    1
DM  16  Domenico Cappa ©       SOR   23   S12  Start     99    9  Youth               99    9
DM  13  Giacinto Polidori      SOR   28   S13  Start     83    4  Sportiva Montelc.  130    9
DM  19  Filippo Stanco         SOR   21   S14  Bench      8    0  Youth                8    0
CM  10  Anderson Pill          CMT   25   S17  Start      0    0  GT Molding/GRF       0    0
CM  21  Ezerio Delafonte       SOR   18   S17  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
AM   8  Pietro Bunino          SOR   30   S14  Bench     61    3  Stampano Socio      61    3
AM  25  Giaco Sanmicheli       SVG   24   S16  Start     33    5  Porto Vecchio/SVG   33    5
ST  55  Ugo Cianci             SOR   31   S12  Bench    145   44  SSD Borgonovo      271   68
ST  11  Roberto Pella          SOR   30   S17  Start      0    0  FC Pesari          312  100
ST   9  Lenore Ransom          CMT   30   S16  Start     34   14  Urrheddiao/CMT      34   14
ST  29  Lorenzo Nannetti       SOR   23   S15  Bench     29    1  FC Pesari           39    2
ST  27  Gregorio Boccardi      SOR   20   S15  Res        6    0  Youth                6    0

[San Ortelio]

Robur Astello
Your new favorite team if…
You like to push the ‘nobody likes us but we don’t care’ card. And don’t really care about good or academic football.

Details

Home Stadium   Valle Farnese (5000 seats)
Nickname       I Detenuti
Manager        Elio Senze
Sponsor        Birra 52 (alcoholic beverages)
Since          S2
Last Season    Third in the Serie B, semi-finals of the Coppa
Won            1 Serie B titles (last S6)
Region         San Servazio

Outgoing - Jubenar Mallerbury (KOR, Virtus Redoccio, 0.6 mil), Fabio Ferri (free, Juve Redoccio)
Incoming - Marco Iotti (Pro Stampano, 0.5 mil), Yuri Scampini (Politecnica, 0.3 mil), Usher Collins (EFL, Mount Salt FA, EFL, free)

Last Season - Even if the football didn’t overnight become more interesting, one cannot deny that Robur Astello had a consistent season which, with a pinch more of luck, might have turned out as really strong. Then again, if you needed that pinch, should it be considered as A-class? Robur travelled through the Serie A with their habitual aplomb. In some games, their physical football overpowered the opposition and Romeo Gozzi knocked in the sparsely available chances. At other times, a more talented eleven got the better of him. With ninety minutes left, this had sufficed to break into the last six but a draw at Esca Unione saw San Savola slip past the Inmates. In the Coppa, Robur played what might have been their best game as they prevailed in a seven-goal spectacle but a final ticket - much coveted by a club that bizarrely enough never before appeared in that game - was not obtained as Sportiva simply ran rings around them.

The capriciousness of the club form got dictated by the form of Romeo Gozzi. The flamboyant striker had been given a prolonged and improved contract but it seems as if club and player are now stuck in a longstanding marriage. As Gozzi is their sole source of goals, the club feels obliged to accept his stunts: inappropriate goal celebrations, nightclub antics and arriving an hour late in a forklift included. But on the other hand, Gozzi maneuvered himself in a position which makes him fairly unattractive for other clubs: so if he doesn’t keep up his production, not only Robur will drop him - it’s hard to think of a different top tier club that wants to risk their funds on him in that case. This focus made it a little ironic to realise that the defensive compartment looked a bit more solid at times. Filippo Maurizi grew into a far better element than the bunch of lumberjacks usually employed there by Robur and recognised a little of himself in Ko-orenite Jubenar Mallerbury, quite possibly the discovery of the season...

Targets and Means - … and as a consequence quickly snapped up by Virtus Redoccio, a club very eager to vacuum some talent from smaller teams and set the wheels of rebuilding in motion. Then again, over half a million is a nice amount for a club like Astello but it does mean that the black-and-white stripes will have to start over again at the back. Especially as furniture piece Fabio Ferri got a free transfer to the amateur leagues as a reward for eight years of loyal service, a peculiar case. The father of Ferri passed away and he got the opportunity to take over the family business - goodbye to the life of a pro goalie and hello to professional beekeeping for him. This could have been the point where Robur steered to overturn their habitual ‘hit everything that moves’ attitude but the arrival of Yuri Scampini bodes the opposite. He is notorious for his excellent form with the amateurs of Politecnica, but also for his collection of red cards for conduct and flesh wounds. Scampini’s presence adds another counter to the already high amount of butcher-type players: Lomolini or Giulotti aren’t exactly known for taking any prisoners and Soomre picked up three red cartons in eleven appearances - it must be a record. Amidst them, Maurizi makes sure there is more to it than hack’n’slashing and young newcomer Collins should have a bit of potential.

Despite the five-man defense, Senze still stands by having two defensive midfielders, in part because his right wingback Carletti tends to overlap more than usual. Of them, Federico Pozzi serves more or less as your pure number six - with a focus on vertical passing - but he does have a good header. Nonetheless, we should see more and more of Petor Szektkovsky in the upcoming months. After a hesitant start, trying to fit into the peculiar club culture, he added a bit more football in the line-up and formed a welcome presence in the defensive compartment: they needed someone whose idea of build-up is not just whacking it forward. This does mean the inevitable step back for Christian Sassi, a veteran of many wars with this outfit but at this point mainly impactful away from the pitch. Slightly more surprising is seeing Jacopo Marcellusi falling between the cracks. The midfielder is a true son of the club, known for his fancy footwork and popular with the fans but somehow his potential hasn’t fully developed.

In a way, it is painfully ironic that he gets replaced by a man who can be described in similar terms, albeit at a slightly higher level. At last, Pro Stampano had enough of the promise Marco Iotti once held and bode him goodbye. For the sake of entertaining football, we can only hope that Iotti, a metre sixty tall if he stretches himself, finds joy in Astello. It’s evenly possible that he finds nightclubs in what is, after all, the holiday city of the country. In theory, everything he stands for, wandering between the lines, technical speed of execution, complete ignorance of defensive structures, … It all clashes with the ethos from Robur. But maybe he can bring a strange balance? For that, he’ll need to link up with the larger-than-life Romeo Gozzi. Once more, his alternatives in the attack look insufficient. Fact is that Iotti and Gozzi should assure spectacle but we’re not sure if it’s for the tabloids or the sports pages. In the latter case, this unconventional side will speak their word in the race for the Serie A - but punching a ticket will require a step up from last season.

Selection

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo 
GK   1  Yuri Scampini          SOR   24   S17  Start      0    0  Politecnica          0    0
GK  27  Mirko Pellizzari       SOR   23   S13  Bench     10    0  Youth               10    0
LD  22  Matteo Martorelli      SOR   29   S13  Start    127    3  Virtus Redoccio    218    3
LD  21  Lorenzo Giacobbe       SOR   21   S15  Res       11    0  Youth               11    0
CD   3  Filippo Maurizi        SOR   28   S12  Start    151   10  Juve Redoccio      151   10
CD  19  Sebastiano Lomolini ©  SOR   33   S03  Start    439    5  Youth              439    5
CD   4  Michele Giulotti       SOR   27   S11  Start     96    2  Astello Mare        96    2
CD  19  Usher Collins          EFL   18   S17  Bench      0    0  Mount Salt FA/EFL    0    0
CD  26  Claudio della Torre    SOR   19   S16  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
RD   5  Emanuele Carletti      SOR   24   S14  Start    100    2  Catrallo Calcio    100    2
RD  13  Mattias Soomre         HRK   30   S16  Bench     11    0  Kuinopi Club/HRK    11    0
DM   6  Federico Pozzi         SOR   30   S12  Start    156    5  US San Savola      249    7
DM  20  Petor Szektkovsky      TJU   22   S16  Start     15    2  CSTO Academy/TJU    15    2
LM  16  Bernardo Ravelli       SOR   22   S16  Res        9    0  Astello United       9    0
CM  15  Christian Sassi        SOR   36   S06  Bench    351   22  Catrallo Calcio    389   24
CM  18  Gabriele Grandolfo     SOR   24   S15  Start     50    7  Madonna Nottori    136   11
AM   8  Jacopo Marcellusi      SOR   26   S08  Bench    183   16  Youth              183   16
AM  10  Marco Iotti            SOR   28   S17  Start      0    0  Pro Stampano       209   35
AM  30  Luca Bulevardi         SOR   22   S12  Bench     59    9  Youth               59    9
ST   9  Romeo Gozzi            SOR   27   S12  Start    143   94  FC Pesari          190  113
ST  17  Alessio Bondioli       SOR   35   S10  Bench     92   29  Pro Stampano       194   50
ST  23  Matteo Carannante      SOR   21   S15  Res        6    0  Youth                6    0

[San Ortelio]

Sportiva Montelcampo
Your new favorite team if…
You like chaos and footballing fun. It's not always perfect but it's a spectacle with goals - and sometimes, they even end up with a trophy.

Details

Home Stadium   Corsa Quersia (3500 seats)
Nickname       The Robins
Manager        Etern-Tylyr Von (QUS)
Sponsor        Gianculasi (car manufacturing)
Since          S1
Last Season    Third in the Serie A, Cup Winner
Won            1 Serie A title (last S6), 2 Serie B titles (last S11), 2 Coppa della Stelle (last S16)
Region         San Bonifazio

Outgoing - Orlando Castorani (Port Tacassam FC, TKT, undisclosed), Federico Celli (SSD Borgonovo, 0.3 mil)
Incoming - Edoardo Ferrera (Fagli Cinquanta, 0.4 mil), Christian Valeri (Pro Stampano, 0.3 mil), Grigory Rijkhart (FPT, Sandy Isle HC, FPT, free)

Last Season - As Sportiva kicked off its sixteenth season in the Serie Nazionale, there were a fair few questions surrounding the squad. Oliviero Tumellero, the managing prodigy who had given them a new face and confidence, had left for greener - or at least, the dark green of hard cash - pastures whilst the board had instilled their belief on Etern-Tylyr Von, a Qusmi with limited experience as player-coach and whose tactical pedigree got some criticism in his homeland. Add to that the departure of two key players in Buglia and Di Cosmo and an implosion could have been on the books. After five games, with just a single solitary win between them, such a scenario seemed to play out in front of the fans and some doubt arose. However, a clear 3-0 victory over Virtus Redoccio launched the Robins on their path. During the regular season, Calcio and Pesari were a league of their own but Von managed to let his side play attractive football which nonetheless brought in results.

More often than not, Montelcampo overcame an early deficit, the result of a fast-paced style combined with some exceptional stamina. To the credit of Etern-Tylyr Von is that he overcame the biggest risk of a new manager: wanting to change too much and in the process throwing out what worked. He managed to build upon the creative 3-4-3 but made the midfield diamond more creative, aided by the addition of Joan Nonhagatte. The Farf left the top of the footballing pinnacle at Audioslavia for a role as the architect with Sportiva and became the right hand from Von in the process. Some even claim that, if it weren’t for some untimely injuries with their new playmaker, Sportiva might have given Pesari a run for their money in the Serie A. Nonetheless, a reappearance in the Challenger’s Cup is a strong result, especially as it seems to be a launching platform for more in the upcoming season. On top of that, Sportiva Montelcampo made their way to the Coppa final, winning their first trophy in years with flair: Pambianco’s decisive score was the result of high pressure in minute 88. After a long lure since their first - and to date, only - domestic title, Sportiva not only looked strong again but also consistent.

Targets and Means - And so it came as a bit of a surprise that the board let go of Orlando Castorani. The skillful defender jumps ship to the Tikariotian Premier League, one of the most-watched foreign divisions in San Ortelio. Whilst no sum was disclosed, it must have been a seven-number figure, but it also left a big hole in the three man defense. Some had wished for Von to plug that hole right away with the inflated bank account, but the Qusmi gained even more credit with his board by opting for a double-sided strategy. At one hand, Valerio Cattai - young but not flawless talent - moves up in the pecking order whilst Edoardo Ferrera was shipped in. Despite the captain’s ribbon, his role at La Fa was finalised yet Von correctly assessed him as a relentless mid-tier centre-back. As such, they should form a rotating base for the three man defense with veteran Sarcinella and the stocky but powerful Giannoti. Behind them, Pasquale Pino - league record holder in terms of number of official games - remains between the posts, despite some first signs of age showing. In itself, neither of these players are real top quality, but they know they have one task only and stick by it.

This offers room for what might be the strongest asset in the toolbox of Sportiva, the diamond midfield larded with excellent role players. Most of last year, Fabio Sparandeo was still assured of his spot, a wing back transformed to the midfield hoover by Von. But the preseason games seem to confirm that Aventurine Kolar now has the upper hand, a continuation of her strong record in the Serie A (four goals included). Seen as sluggish by some, her tactical superiority shows. Especially in a line-up which has its share of football brains already with Joan Nonhagatte. By their side, loyal club man Delvino picks up the heavy lifting for these two - some claim that newcomer Rijkhart has a similar galloping attitude, but he’s still young. At the attacking tip of the diamond, Ercole Mazzone resides. He’s not as spectacular as your average attacking midfield but fits in perfectly with the mindset of the squad - a bit more than Barletta, a young prodigy with creative feet but in need of a stronger fitness. They form a group which is very difficult to break for opponents and rather overwhelms the opposition at times.

As such, the trio of strikers can make their mark. Leading amongst them is Andrea Pambianco, currently at his fifth club in the league. He’s a seasoned player but only recently reverted to a role on the wing rather than central midfielder: a fairly unique move but there had been a lethal second striker under the hood after all. On the other wing, Luca Cadili did not miss his debut season with the Robins and his dribbles make him a counterpart of Pambianco but both get their goals. Still only twenty, Cadili should be in the mix for the national team soon. While these two names seem carved in stone, the role as central forward seems up for grabs. Federico Celli filled this role for a few years but his criticism of sponsor Gianculasi saw him quickly pushed to the exit. This opens up room for Angelo Cotillard, the third Ortelian of Quebecois descent to grace the top tier and a nifty, productive striker. But it will be hard - literally and figuratively - past newcomer Valeri, the freakishly tall forward. Despite his clumsy technique (even in heading) he’s a menace for opposing defenders and puts in a lot of work for the squad. His adventure with Stampano ended in drama so this could be a bargain for Sportiva - however, he’s a different type which will require tactical adaptation. If Sportiva can make that new evolution in their system, they should come closer to Catrallo and Pesari - the only question then is: how close?

Selection

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo 
GK   1  Pasquale Pino          SOR   36   S01  Start    481   0   Youth              481    0
GK  13  Claudio Zagaria        SOR   23   S14  Bench      5   0   SSD Borgonovo        5    0
LD   2  Manuele Giannoti       SOR   29   S12  Start    124   2   Robur Astello      173    2
CD   4  Francesco Sarcinella   SOR   34   S11  Bench    164   6   US San Savola      263    8
CD  20  Valerio Cattai         SOR   21   S15  Start     17   1   Youth               17    1
CD   3  Edoardo Ferrera        SOR   28   S17  Start      0   0   Fagli Cinquanta    165    3
CD  26  Luca Cigliano          SOR   25   S15  Res       10   0   Politecnica Foot    10    0
RD  15  Daniele Spureo         SOR   30   S15  Bench     25   1   Fagli Cinquanta    165    9
DM   6  Fabio Sparandeo        SOR   30   S12  Bench    171   6   FC Pesari          219    6
DM  15  Aventurine Kolar       NPH   23   S16  Start     27   6   AFC Treason/NPH     27    6
CM   7  Leonardo Delvino       SOR   27   S09  Start    167  17   Youth              167   17
CM   8  Joan Nonhagatte ©      FFD   35   S16  Start     28   8   KT Moreazerua/AUD   28    8
CM  14  Fabio Priola           SOR   26   S13  Res       18   0   Fratelli d’Anezzo   18    0
CM  21  Grigory Rijkhart       FPT   18   S17  Res        0   0   Sandy Isle HC/FPT    0    0
AM  10  Ercole Mazzone         SOR   25   S11  Start    154  45   Youth              154   45
AM  22  Giusto Barletta        SOR   21   S16  Bench     14   2   Youth               14    2
RW  11  Andrea Pambianco       SOR   33   S14  Start     96  59   Pro Stampano       351  140
RW  19  Francisco Priola       SOR   26   S13  Bench     69  17   Fratelli d’Anezzo   69   17
ST  12  Angelo Cotillard       SOR   19   S16  Bench     12   6   Youth               12    6
ST  11  Christian Valeri       SOR   28   S17  Start      0   0   Pro Stampano       154   48
LW  17  Luca Cadili            SOR   20   S16  Start     36  11   US San Savola       66   17
LW  16  Salvatore Rocco        SOR   23   S16  Res        9   2   Catrallo Calcio     28    7

[San Ortelio]

SSD Borgonovo
Your new favorite team if…
You believe that football should be for the regular people and not some cash cow. Oh, and you vote for the Partito Socialista Popolare, of course.

Details

Home Stadium   Stadio del Fiume (5300 seats)
Nickname       Il Socio
Manager        Diego Chiesa
Sponsor        NutriPe (canning)
Since          S3
Won            1 Serie B title
Region         San Bonifazio

Outgoing - Jordan Smith (Esca Unione, 0.6 mil), Niccolo Galli (Madonna Nottori, 0.2 mil), Leonardo Brignoli (Stampano Socio, free), Luca Cupponi (Politecnica, free), Riccardo Ghioldi (retired)
Incoming - Federico Celli (Sportiva Montelcampo, 0.3 mil), Giovanni Fontana (Catrallo Calcio, 0.2 mil), Roope Helminen (Dünamo Tüparu, 0.2 mil), Carlo Carlesi (youth academy FC Pesari), Fausto Bertolini (youth academy)

Last Season - The Serie Nazionale became a long, difficult route for the team from Diego Chiesa. At 34, his reputation as an alternative trainer became nearly mythical whilst he doesn’t do that much which is in more advanced footballing cultures considered as outlandish. Yet, the results from our resident lefties did not immediately inspire the competition to base themselves on data analysis and psychological profiles as well. During the first months of the competition, SSD showed glimpses of inspiration but languished in the last position in the table. In various positions, there was uncertainty: the two goalies Brignoli and Mosca both made capital mistakes on crucial moments, scrambling for confidence whilst the attacking line Galli - Santoro missed chemistry. At a certain point, Chiesa seemed to have one foot out the door already, but a win over Madonna Nottori saw them get back in the race against the relegation.

The main change was an adaptation in the playing style, with a 4-2-3-1 approach chosen. This gave additional oxygen to a string of players. Lorenzo Spizzichino, the intended playmaker, could focus on his assisting skills and the two sparkly young wingers Orjee and Pearson showed their capacity. It also improved the chemistry between central duo Lang and Castelli - in theory complementary elements. This is not to say that Borgonovo suddenly became worldbeaters: their Coppa run was cut short by the amateurs from Athletic whilst their appearance in the Serie B might have sufficed for another year in the highest tier but showed the double-edged sword. No one scored as often, having even managed to bring Santoro in the right position enough times. But they still conceded two goals per game.

Targets and Means - As such, it was quite a punch in the stomach for the fans that South Newlandian Jordan Smith, often the sole barrier between them and further defensive frailty, got sold to Esca. They are left with a back four that does not look particularly stronger than before: the level of the Boffeli twins has more often than not been criticized, Mangano is notably slow, Puuk makes the bar at this level but only just and youngster Dellavedova failed to live up to the standard in his first year as a starter. Bringing in Giovanni Fontana should be helpful - he did not impress in his three years with Catrallo Calcio but then again, their system did not suit them: it’s a sensible transfer for a club like SSD. Between the stakes, all money is set on Giulio Mosca. Chiesa hopes that by giving him full confidence and a young back-up, rather than someone aiming for his spot, he can bring out what has been lingering under the surface for a while now. Question is what exactly is lingering there: maybe it’s just a really average goalkeeper stuck behind a slow and inadequate defensive line.

The defensive triangle seems to be set in stone for Il Socio. Captain Paolo Castelli used to be a second striker but is now the stabilising force in the line-up. He’s bulky, clever and their moral compass but at 35, the years start to show a little. Fortunately, he can rely on Luo Lang by his side. The Yuezhou midfielder looks like a basketball player and according to a sizable portion of the fans, he should be one. But Chiesa does note he’s everything which Castelli ain’t so they make an intriguing duo that cleans up the waste for Lorenzo Spizzichino. Elegant, nifty, known for his intricate celebration dances but also a man who can suddenly plug out for a few weeks, he’s not exactly whom you want to build your team on: but if your funds are low, you take it. We must add that the midfield is one of the rare portions of the pitch where the bench does not look completely shambolic and that they picked up Carlesi from the Pesari Primavera is a bit of a steal (although there are rumours about a buy-back clause in his contract).

And so, if SSD Borgonovo wants to finally break away from their cycle of “fight relegation, survive, sell best player, fight relegation, …“, they will require a fearsome trio up front. It is the section which bolsters the most talent despite selling a Di Bradini Cup winner, so that should be worth a thing - although the tall and immobile Galli never showed anything at the domestic top level, so he’s not much of a loss. Murphtanian Archer Pearson was one of the breakthrough players of the league and it is a win that he stays with Borgonovo for another twelve months: technically astute with good cuts inside, he gives SSD a weapon to terrorize the opposition. At the opposite wing, Nkechi Orjee usually sticks to his line for a traditional ‘dribble and cross’ but he can be sent into space on the counter as well. Last year, they were supplemented by Mattia Santoro - a difficult case. He’s not a bad striker (for this level) and works hard on the pitch, but he’s more suited for a partnership up front and not particularly popular in the dressing room. So it was an enormous luck for Borgonovo that Federico Celli came on the market. Once in their youth academy, Celli moved to Pesari and later Sportiva as a powerful targetman. However, his opinions in the press made it hard for him to stay with the latter club - despite still scoring at a respectable rate. Gianculasi, the main car producer and sponsor of Sportiva - and former employer of some family members of Celli -, fired a wave of employees as the competition with import cars is a struggle for them. Yet at the same time, they try to find a way into the expensive and non-lucrative car racing, a combination that rubbed the wrong way for Celli. The lashing out from the striker was greeted with rejoice by the leftist Borgonovo fans, so his return has the makings of a match made in heaven. But will it be a match on the field? They’ll need it, because the amateur sides are only getting stronger.

Selection

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo 
GK  99  Giulio Mosca           SOR   25   S13  Start     36    0  FC Pesari           37    0
GK   1  Roope Helminen         HRK   19   S17  Bench      0    0  Dünamo Tüparu/HRK    0    0
LD  13  Luca Mangano           SOR   28   S12  Start    147    1  Esca Unione        203    2
LD   2  Lorenzo Gambino        SOR   32   S10  Bench    147    3  Motori Vitale      147    3
CD   3  Giulio Boffeli         SOR   29   S06  Start    249    8  Youth              249    8
CD  14  Tommi Puuk             HRK   35   S16  Bench     21    0  Linn. Harseni/HRK   21    0
CD   4  Gianluca Boffeli       SOR   29   S07  Start    195    4  Youth              195    4
CD  16  Fausto Bertolini       SOR   19   S17  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
RD   5  Davide Dellavedova     SOR   23   S14  Bench     38    1  Virtus Redoccio     38    1
RD  17  Giovanni Fontana       SOR   27   S17  Start     37    2  Forza Catrallo      42    2
DM   6  Paolo Castelli ©       SOR   35   S09  Start    240   35  Inter Catrallo     360   55
DM  21  Carlo Carlesi          SOR   18   S17  Bench      0    0  FC Pesari            0    0
CM   8  Giorgio Fietta         SOR   30   S13  Bench     42    1  Sportiva Mont.      62    3
CM  66  Luo Lang               YZH   26   S16  Start     30    3  Yincheng Guo./YZH   30    3
AM  10  Lorenzo Spizzichino    SOR   25   S15  Start     52   12  FC Pesari           75   15
AM  20  Mario De Lucia         SOR   27   S11  Res       95    9  Forza Catrallo      95    9
LW  23  Nkechi Orjee           SOR   21   S16  Start     21    7  PRIND Razzi         21    7
RW  17  Archer Pearson         MUR   20   S16  Start     25    8  Liverpool Town/MUR  25    8
ST  19  Mattia Santoro         SOR   28   S16  Bench     31   12  Pro Stampano       187   50
ST   9  Federico Celli         SOR   28   S17  Start     12    1  Sportiva Montelc.  190   73
ST  15  Pasquale Ciriello      SOR   19   S16  Res       10    1  Youth               10    1

[San Ortelio]

US San Savola
Your new favorite team if…
Ehm. That’s a tough one, they’re the grey mouse of the league despite those shirts. San Savola sits on the geographical outside of the map and does its own thing. It’s not sexy but it works. If that’s your thing?

Details

Home Stadium   Dietro Baracche (3000 seats)
Nickname       None, really. No one talks about them enough for that
Manager        Oscar Fincato
Sponsor        Il Falco (household tools)
Since          S1
Won            2 Serie B titles (last S14), 1 Coppa delle Stella (last S4)
Region         San Mamerto

Outgoing - Cesar Giandonato (Fagli Cinquanta, 0.3 mil), Paride Risolo (Juve Redoccio, free), Prudenzio Frondella (VC Pesari, free), Andrea Galasso (Nottori Duo, free)
Incoming - Giacomo Nobile (Madonna Nottori, 0.3 mil), Zadornin Elizabe (ASG, Bakartirla Buccaneers, ASG, free), Mattia Pardini (youth academy), Flavio Sbrissa (youth academy)

Last Season - It is rare to see that a club sells two of its biggest talents and somehow appear better from it, but the fans from San Savola needed little time to weep over the departure from Daniele Gagliano and Luca Cadili, as they could marvel whom of the shipload of newcomers was their new teddy bear? Rafael Hythewater, the vastly experienced Nepharim with the reliable vision to organise the defense? The hardworking midfield engine Averroes? Shrewd and cynical assassin Cappelluzzo? His partner in crime, the clever Kowac? In the end, they settled on the diminutive left back Trisha Nzonzi, if only because she’s the more cuddly one in an eleven that overnight became a bit more cynical, but also far more efficient in the process.

Although they have not abandoned their youth project at all, as evidenced by the excellent first season as a starter from Giovanni Letti, these newcomers gave US San Savola a bit more sturdiness and efficiency. Fincato let the possession to others but his squad became incredibly hard to beat. It is telling that apart from the top four, they were the only one to end the season with a positive goal difference: no squad could earn a blow-out against this US. In the end that sturdiness got them in the Serie A where they did struggle more: although an 8-1 blowout to Catrallo does inflate their numbers a bit. In the end they parked in the sixth and last spot but could look back on a solid season - some hope it might be the start of getting out of the cyclical nature of the success for the club.

Targets and Means - After the spectacular off-season of last year, which saw them overhaul two fifths of their selection, it was now a matter to ensure stability. The financial buffer from the previous sales allowed them to focus on keeping the young talent aboard, with the prolongations of Letti and Tornaghi being celebrated by the small yet loyal fanbase. The arrival of Giacomo Nobile was met with less enthusiasm. Last year, Nobile got in the eye of the storm for a ludicrous tackle on Orjee but the accusations that this was fueled by racism was always denied by the Nottori goalie. As such, when his name came on the radar to replace Giandonato - who opted for the better paycheck at Fagli - the reaction was mixed. Not due to the possible nature of the incident but mainly over questions of his sportsmanship, no surprise in this conservative corner of the country. Fact is that Nobile's performances will be monitored up close, in part because many believed he was too good for Madonna but no one knows if he just seemed decent due to the amount of work a goalie gets there.

In front of him, Hythewater seems determined to write some more chapters to what already has been a long and successful career. We are quite unsure whether those around him carry enough speed, but as a collective the back four are hard as nails and that worked out well last season. The lack of additions here shows Fincato agrees, only Risolo leaves - a bit of a sad ending of a long, successful career with Robur and Redoccio, but he couldn't get past Nzonzi on his position and US opted to shed a veteran for an academy product. That their commitment to youth is more than just a phrase shows in the midfield where three of the four starters passed through the local Primavera team. In this section of the pitch, Fincato’s interest in efficiency over style shows a little. Admittedly, they do have one of the most exciting prospects in Giovanni Letti: a technical wizard with impeccable passing, overview and a first touch to die for… On his day. And he’s not too fast either. But this gets (over)compensated by the trio around him.

Rashid Averroes arrived as an unknown quantity twelve months ago but is exactly the kind of player the stands appreciate - hardworking and omnipresent. In a way, the same description can be given about Tornaghi, but Averroes shows more initiative to bridge across, even if not always equally successful. Still, he’s a weapon on the counterattack, something which goes for Tarallo as well, the ace up the sleeve of a midfield with a limited depth. That cannot be said about the attack which sees the pairing of Cappelluzzo and Kowac return. The former is fresh faced but a terrible nuisance for the opposition - a nagger with a nose for ugly goals. His Rekan buddy up front Kowac looks about thirty years older than him but shares the cynical approach - albeit this time like a gentleman who suddenly pops up for another score. Together, they keep short roadrunner Marigu and newcomer Elizabe, an archetypical second striker, on the bench. It must be added that this is the only section where depth looks good and this immediately constitutes the main worry of San Savola. The starting eleven showed before that they’re up for the fight for a Serie A ticket, but how long can they use the same recipe if a few men drop out? The notable lack of players in their prime, with youngsters and oldtimers hanging around, shows they are not as wealthy as the results suggest - and this tactic tends to have an expiration date.

Selection

Pos Nr  Name                   Nat  Age  Since Role    ClGa ClGo  Previous Club     CaGa CaGo 
GK   1  Giacomo Nobile         SOR   25   S17  Start      0    0  Madonna Nottori    142    1
GK  22  Domenico Agnano        SOR   21   S14  Bench      5    0  Youth                5    0
LD   2  Trisha Nzonzi          CYI   21   S16  Start     30    2  Rosche. Pride/CYI   30    2
LD  12  Mattia Pardini         SOR   19   S17  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
CD   3  Giorgio Biancu         SOR   24   S14  Start     59    2  Lovani FC           59    2
CD   4  Antonio Cocco          SOR   35   S05  Bench    291   33  AS Esca            347   37
CD  14  Rafael Hythewater      NPH   38   S16  Start     30    4  Strathcon/KSK       30    4
CD  24  Rafaelle Santi         SOR   27   S13  Res       35    1  FC Pesari           35    1 
RD  15  Paolo La Rosa          SOR   33   S07  Start    277    1  Pro Stampano       297    1
RD  18  Gaetano Zungri         SOR   19   S16  Bench      6    0  Youth                6    0
DM   6  Bernardo Ladinetti     SOR   27   S10  Start    155    8  Youth              155    8
DM   8  Nunzio Tornaghi        SOR   23   S12  Start    110    3  Youth              110    3
CM  20  Giovanni Letti         SOR   20   S15  Start     43    8  Youth               43    8
CM   7  Rashid Averroes        AMH   25   S16  Start     29    5  Alqamar/AMH         29    5
CM  10  Saverio D’Agostino     SOR   23   S15  Bench     12    0  RES Quartella       12    0
CM  21  Flavio Sbrissa         SOR   18   S17  Res        0    0  Youth                0    0
RW  23  Benito Tarallo         SOR   20   S16  Res        8    0  Youth                8    0
ST  11  Samuele Marigu         SOR   28   S12  Bench    127   34  Pro Stampano       194   47
ST   9  Wlatko Kowac ©         ZRH   37   S16  Start     28   10  DD Porto Nowi/ZRH   28   10
ST  30  Alessandro Cappelluzzo SOR   24   S16  Start     29   15  Catrallo Athletic   29   15
ST  34  Zadornin Elizabe       ASG   23   S17  Bench      0    0  Bakartirla B./ASG    0    0