Playoffs: Fortitudo challenges Cantù, Vencato doubtful for game one

Down with the playoff. Having overcome the Pesaro obstacle, leaving behind the play-in teams that in the other half of the scoreboard saw Brindisi, thirteenth at the end of the regular season, overcome first Avellino and then Verona at home, the Fortitude is preparing to take the field on Saturday for the start of the series with Cantu.

The quarterfinals schedule will be compressed. It starts as announced on Saturday, with game one scheduled at PalaDesio at 20,30 pm. The match will be repeated 48 hours later, on Monday, again at 20,30 pm, in the facility that has hosted the Brianza team in recent years. The series will then move to PalaDozza where Fortitudo will host Cantù for game three on Thursday 15th and where game four is scheduled for Saturday 17th.

In the case of game five, it will be played again at Cantù's home, at the PalaFitLine in Desio on Tuesday 20th. Many close matches for which it will be necessary to arrive in the best possible psycho-physical condition and with the greatest number of players available.

From this point of view, the situation remains under close observation. Luke Vencato. The playmaker, who underwent instrumental tests yesterday by the white-blue medical staff, is being monitored with great attention to understand the state of his injury and his probable-possible use starting from Saturday's match against the Brianza team.

"The tests - says a Fortitudo note - that Luca Vencato underwent have revealed a bone contusion to the left femoral condyle. The player will be monitored and re-evaluated daily". Vencato, gritting his teeth, should be ready for the challenge, giving coach Attilio Caja a valid alternative in the role of playmaker and allowing the coach from Pavia to rotate his players to 9.

Cantù-Fortitudo is a historic and fascinating match, but for many it is an early playoff final, with the demand for tickets from both the Brianza and Fortitudo sides being decidedly high. In view of game-one and game-two after the three days reserved for pre-emption for Cantù season ticket holders, free ticket sales for home fans start today.

On the front of tickets reserved for Bologna fans, Fossa dei Leoni has already started to organize the trips for Saturday and Monday, even if the 150 tickets decided by the Monza police headquarters are a drop in the ocean of the requests of the many white-blue fans who would have liked to follow the team to Desio. As for game three next Thursday at PalaDozza, the pre-emption for Fortitudo season ticket holders will start today.

The latest aftermath of the Pesaro incident: the sports judge fined Fortitudo 833 euros for frequent collective insults to referees.