Tuscan-Ligurian Derby: Gb Mec Cgc Viareggio Challenges Hockey Sarzana for Europe

"The boys have a great opportunity, that of putting their future at stake by earning confirmation and then, after having achieved safety, there is the possibility of even achieving qualification for the European cups. You have to want to dream". This is how the Juventus coach Alessandro Cupisti presents the Tuscan-Ligurian derby, Between Gb Mec Cgc Viareggio e Hockey Sarzana tonight at PalaBarsacchi, valid for the play in. Head to head (to be played first and second leg and in the event of a tie in the scores, Sarzana, the best ranked in the championship, will win) is not only worth qualifying for the Scudetto playoffs (with the derby against Canniccia Motor Club Forte in sight), but it is also worth direct access to Europe. A difficult match, the one that awaits the black and whites, because Sarzana, who came 7th in this appointment, after a terrible start to the championship, closed the regular season with a streak of 7 consecutive victories, a symbol of a rediscovered form. "Rediscovered form - Cupisti underlines - I believe determined mainly by two factors. First of all, the return of the goalkeeper Corona to his standard levels, secondly the arrival in the team of the young Argentine Manrique who has provided new game solutions". This season, however, despite the 12 point difference (24 to 36), Cgc has shown that it knows how to cause problems for the Rossoneri. In Liguria, last October 19th, the first seasonal victory arrived, signed by Muglia, Raffaelli, D'Anna (for Sarzana Ortiz) which was worth the final 3-1, while on January 18th, when Sarzana was still convalescing, it was 2-2 with goals by Muglia and Mura (Illuzzi-Ortiz). Cgc will rely on the bombers Muglia (24 goals) and Mura (20) as well as on a Lombardi (12) who is on the rise, but will have to deal with the ailments of the goalkeeper Gomez, due to a bad blow to his right knee, but the goalkeeper will grit his teeth, while the presence of Cinquini is at high risk, due to the flu, as he did not even train on Easter Monday. Finally, another indicative aspect, that of the goals scored: 70 for Cgc and 72 for Sarzana, while those conceded are 92 to 87, other data that demonstrate a certain balance.

Sergio Iacopetti