Marras, an unforgettable year: "Maceratese, the perfect team"

"How can you give up a place like Macerata? It wasn't difficult to move down a category by accepting the proposal of the red and whites to join a top team and after having felt the trust of the director". Niccolò Marras, an attacking midfielder for Maceratese, was one of those players capable of giving that little something extra with his plays. "Coming here – he adds – was an important step". The Roman Marras has never played in Eccellenza. "I thought there was a more marked difference with the D, instead I noticed that the level is not that far away even in those teams that do not occupy the top positions. Then I saw first-hand that any opponent against us always gave something extra." Among other things, Maceratese proposed a game system that is not often seen in this category. "I had noticed it before I arrived having seen some games, I adapted immediately thanks to the group that proved to be exceptional because we all rowed in the same direction and there was never a complaint: it was the perfect team". It was a difficult journey, but ultimately exhilarating and maybe there is a special moment that is difficult to forget. "The play-off gives unique emotions, but what I can't forget is when the crowd cheered for Urbino's advantage over K Sport and when the play-off materialized." A complicated match took place at Del Conero. "It was a match that presented many pitfalls, after all we were facing those who had scored the same points as us. We were hoping for a play-off and we prepared for it in the same way as the other matches, always training to the max, even when the match was postponed by a week. We pedaled hard towards the goal and we achieved it with merit and a pinch of luck". Many insiders have indicated Marras as one of the elements capable of making the difference. "This makes me very happy. For me it means a lot to have such consideration in such an important place. I thank the staff, the coach and my teammates who have trusted me since day one." There were some difficult moments. "There were some, like after the defeat in Urbino, but we started again without letting ourselves be overcome by discouragement." Perhaps it was thought that the player indicated the most difficult phase as the one after the setback in Montecchio. "That – Marras replies – was a blow because we conceded a goal in the last second, I think there could have been an offside position, after having grabbed the result with ten men and two goals down. But football gives you a second chance and we didn't waste it." The second chance was decided on penalties. "And we hadn't even prepared them, we hadn't beaten any of them during the week as a test, after all it's impossible to recreate the emotions and importance of the match in training. It was a match in which I ran a lot and at the end I asked to be substituted because of how much I had run and because of the cramps: I was exhausted". And next year?