The Adriatic derby motivates Rbr: "We are ready to fight to get back up"

by Loriano ZannoniIt's a Derby and there is very little that is ordinary. In the environment, in the moment of the two teams and in the importance that this match has for everyone. The opposite of a preseason friendly, a match with a thousand reasons to win, for Rimini and for Pesaro. The two teams last met at the Flaminio in 2001, a year of misfortune because it coincided with Rimini's last season in Serie A. On that March 18, it ended with Eric Washington and Joey Beard's Vip succumbing 76-85 to Melvin Booker and DeMarco Johnson's Scavolini (with Pillastrini on the bench). Then six more regular season games, the conclusion at the PalaDozza with Fortitudo and relegation. Derbies were played in Rimini also in 2006-2007 in Legadue, for example in the playoff semifinal, but the theater was the former 105 Stadium, now RDS. Not today.

Today we return to Flaminio and it is the RivieraBanca Day, a day when season tickets are not valid and with RaiSport turning on the lights of the national live broadcast. "It's a derby and the motivation to do well is even greater - says Sandro dell'Agnello -. Our fans care and we care. Given the moment we are in, we shouldn't need extra push, but the derby is like that". Rbr comes from the resounding collapse in the Italian Cup with Cividale and is called to an immediate reaction. "We have worked on many aspects - continues the head coach of RivieraBanca - but, beyond the technical issues, we cannot ignore the need to fight for every ball, something that has been there in fits and starts lately. It is clear that we have prepared the match tactically, but first of all we want to see the clear desire to go and get that ball, to fight to the maximum for every possession. I understand the frustration and the state of form, but now we must not have excuses and play".

The considerations on Carpegna Prosciutto remain very high, despite a not exactly brilliant start to the season. Dell'Agnello knows that on the other side of the fence there will be a team hungry for playoff points and with a lot of quality. "It is one of the two or three teams built in the summer for the category status, for direct promotion. A battleship. Their strength is unquestionable, but we have to start from ourselves". It will be interesting to understand the defensive choices of Rbr against Ahmad, the best scorer of the championship with 21.3 points on average. At home Rinascita everyone is present, even if there is no lack of the usual ailments. 150 fans will arrive from Pesaro. "I am sure of the support of the public - concludes Dell'Agnello -. We will have to repay them with a performance in which we will give everything we have in our bodies".