Pontedera challenges the white and blues: Mister Baldini aims for the three points for the play-offs

In the penultimate match at the Mazza of the regular season, it's Pontedera's turn to face the white and blues, fresh from a positive performance against Torres. Mister Baldini explains how the preparation for the match went during the past week: it will be essential to get the three points to try to face the play-offs in the best possible position. "We are recovering almost all the players - explains the Spallino coach -, even Paghera has joined up, even if only for a part of the training. Karlsson remains out, who will be out for another ten days, and Bidaoui, who is continuing to work to get into full swing. For the rest, everyone is available, there was only a small problem for Mignanelli for the blow to the foot he took a month ago that is causing him some pain. I will evaluate him during the last match". With what spirit do you face the next very important matches?

"The match against Torres gave us more conviction, it gave us the feeling of finally being a united team. It is logical that we have to look for the goal up front, we have to try to win the match against Pontedera at all costs, then on the last day we will take stock. We come from two matches in which we should have gotten six points, we didn't manage it, and the one against the Tuscans becomes a very important match".

What do you expect from Pontedera? "I always start by thinking about what we should do. That is, I expect us to show a significant compactness on the pitch. We know that it will be a match that will be played a lot on second balls and therefore we will have to be good at recovering loose balls. They have very capable players up front, their game is often vertical on them. So second balls become fundamental, they have built their current ranking on this aspect. We will also have to be focused and determined to take advantage of the opportunities that they will give us".

Are you thinking of re-proposing the defense with the three players who took the field in Sassari?

"I always say that the modules are made by the players you have available. Radrezza is available again, partly Paghera, also El Kaddouri is improving. Having more options allows me to think about different arrangements, which I keep to myself".

Do you see Nador as safer in the middle?

"Nador and Awua are two very important screens for the defense in the non-possession phase. If I were a starting defender I would know I had an important dam in front of me. Then Nador's characteristics are not those of a juggler like El Kaddouri or Haoudi or others, it always depends on what we want to propose in certain matches. At this moment I can afford to choose".

Beatrice Bergamini