Pisa Calcio: Serie A ambitions and decisive challenge against Reggiana

A promotion to Serie A, narrowly missed against Monza in a photo finish in 2022, ambitions directly proportional to the wages that have more than doubled compared to previous managements (and in January, to an important squad, defender Sernicola from Cremonese, the Norwegian Solbakken for the midfield and the Danish striker Meister on loan with the right to buy from Rennes were added), the frustration for the bureaucratic slowness relating to the new sports centre and the renovation of the stadium, considered fundamental for the growth of the club.

Without falling too far into banality, it is obvious that today (stadium "Città del Tricolore" at 15pm), at Reggiana needing points, an almost perfect performance will be needed to get the better of the Tuscans (with almost 3.500 fans following). Some creaks in the Nerazzurri's clean run (3 defeats in the last 5 games, albeit against Sassuolo, Spezia and Modena) and the growing tension ("the owls want to distract us" Pippo Inzaghi's statement post-Modena), in addition to the unpredictability of football (Serie B first and foremost), instill a minimum of optimism in the Granata environment; where on the second bench, Davide Dionigi will bring with him Mattia Destro, at his first call-up (a debut from the first minute is ruled out) and Antonio Vergara, after the physical problems suffered against Cremonese whose use will be evaluated until the end.

Il Pisa, a team that draws very little (6 in 32 matches) will instead have to do without for the first time in the championship the defender Simone Canestrelli, suspended (for the substitution ballot between Rus, Castellini and Calabresi, son of the actor Paolo) and instead recovers the top scorer (and punisher-Reggiana in the first leg) of the team Matteo Tramoni, Italian-French, 11 goals, but certainly without 90 minutes in his legs. Two curiosities to finish: very good season among the Tuscans of the missed granata Samuele Angori, announced in January 2024, whose registration was then canceled due to excessive number of transfers of the player in the year. Gabriele Piccinini from Reggio, midfielder, is the best assist man for Pisa (6 like Vergara), with the hope of the granata fans to get back on track...from the next match.

Let's talk about the pitch, the setting (11.485 spectators between advance sales, not yet finished for the Reggio team, and season ticket holders, a seasonal record) will be one for big occasions.

We close with the matches of the rivals for salvation: today (33rd round) Carrarese-Catanzaro, Cosenza-Brescia, Salernitana-Sudtirol and Sampdoria-Cittadella. Tomorrow Cesena-Frosinone and Mantova-Spezia. To watch Modena-Sassuolo (today at 19,30)