More waiting as Covid postpones another Cittadella game
On January 15, 2022 by Jake IovineIt was shaping up to be the first match of 2022 at the Tombolato Saturday afternoon. In the end, the Granata must wait another week to play.
Cittadella fans will be watching Serie B from their couch this weekend as the league postponed the match this weekend against Cosenza. Covid-19 has hit the Rossoblù hard this past week, counting for 21 cases in the squad.
New rules stated by the Italian government states that matches can be postponed if 35% or more of the playing squad have tested positive for the virus. Local health authorities in Cosenza ordered the team to not travel to Veneto due to the outbreak in the squad. It wasn’t only Cittadella and Cosenza who were effected this weekend. Lega B came out on Friday announcing Vicenza-Alessandria and Parma-Crotone would also be postponed from this weekend.
The cancellation now sees Cittadella have more time to rest and wait for next weekend, where they will travel to Vicenza for a Veneto derby. By the time the match starts, it’ll be 35 days since the Granata took the pitch.
Yes, 35 days. Over a month since Cittadella battled it out in Brescia. Cancellations due to the rise of Covid cases has put a full on halt to the season. Not to mention there is an international break at the end of January, which Serie B stops play. Even after the derby, Cittadella will be waiting around once again as the international break continues.
When the league resumes in February, there’s a probability that the Granata could’ve played one competitive match in the last 48 days. That is a staggering stat.
Even the match scheduled for next weekend is already taking some doubts. Vicenza haven’t had it easy when it comes to Covid this winter, and they had their match against Lecce postponed this weekend.
In some ways, the situation with the virus around the league as acted like Cittadella’s own winter break. One possible suggestion would be to play Cosenza during the international break. After-all, the number of players on international teams on both squads are small. It may be an option for Lega B as they try to rearrange the fixtures delayed by the pandemic.
As it stands, Cittadella must wait another week to be able to take the field. More waiting to come, but it’s hopefully the last week of delays.