Fortitudo challenges Forlì at PalaDozza: derby without away fans and with many injured

The Fortitude counts the available players and prepares for the challenge scheduled for this evening, at 20.30pm with Forlì. In a PalaDozza loaded and overflowing with cheering, the 5 thousand mark exceeded, but without the visiting fans, yesterday the order reached the club, the Prefect of Bologna has ordered for reasons of public order, the ban on travel for residents in the province of Forlì-Cesena, Fortitudo is awaiting the derby with the Romagnoli.

There are two points at stake that weigh heavily between a Fortitudo that must leave behind last Saturday's defeat in Piacenza and tries to restart despite a less than optimal squad situation and a Forlì that wants to try to get closer to the second-placed train.

Out Gherardo Sabatini until April, Marco Cusin unavailable, we will try to recover him for Brindisi, or alternatively for Pesaro, Leo Menalo has also been added to the list of injured players, who was operated on Wednesday after a fracture of the base of the nail phalanx of the index finger of his left hand.

The surgery was a complete success, but the timing of the recovery and the relative recovery times of the Croatian winger of Italian formation remain to be evaluated. It will therefore be a bandaged Fortitudo, numerically counted, but angry that awaits the Forlì of the former Antimo Martino.

There is a ranking to climb and to do so you need continuity of play and results, exactly what seems to have returned with the arrival of Caja, but which instead was abruptly, unexpectedly, interrupted in Piacenza.

Battistini is in fact the only change to Gabriel and Freeman, while among the outside players there is no shortage of numerical alternatives to the trio Fantinelli, Bolpin, Mian, but if Aradori is still lacking in physical condition, Panni and Giordano are not performing as expected.

An over-effort is needed from everyone, without Caja, who will necessarily have to resort to tactics, having to "overwork" his starters too much. The contribution of the home field factor is also needed with the PalaDozza to act as a white and blue fort.

The other races: Udine-Rieti, Piacenza-Pesaro, Milan-Cividale, Vigevano-Brindisi, Avellino-Verona, Rimini-Cantù, Cento-Nardò, Cremona-Turin, Orzinuovi-Livorno.

The ranking: Rimini 28, Cividale, Udine and Cantù 22, Forlì, Rieti, Urania Milan and Verona 18, Avellino 16, Orzinuovi, Fortitudo Flats Service Bologna, Turin 14, Brindisi and Pesaro 12, Cremona, Livorno and Nardò 10, Vigevano and Cento 8, Piacenza 6.

Filippo Mazzoni