Cittadella vs Alessandria | All you need to know.
On April 17, 2022 by Jake IovineWe’ve reached the final four in Serie B. Both teams with two very different but desperate mindsets meet at the Tombolato a day after Easter.
One team fighting for promotion, one team fighting for survival. Four games separate Cittadella from the finish line on what has been a more than interesting season. Playoffs for Serie A are still in reach, but the Granata desperately need a win on Monday night.
It’s not much different for Alessandria, as they are clinging onto 16th place, narrowly avoiding direct relegation. A win for either side would do wonders for their end of the season goals.
Here’s a guide for both teams playing Monday.
Cittadella
Enrico Baldini helped lift Cittadella to a much needed win in Como last weekend. But is it too little too late for Edoardo Gorini’s men? It’s going to need a lot at this stage.
Sitting six point behind 8th place Frosinone, winning the remaining four out of four games Cittadella have is the ideal path for the Granata. There’s just one issue: it’s not in our hands. In addition to some big time performances, Cittadella are relying on other results to go their way, and it’s looking like a lot for them to sneak into the top 8.
But everyone needs to believe until the end. That’s the mindset going into the match as Cittadella will also be eying other results around the league.
A playoff push will most definitely fall on the performances of Baldini and Mirko Antonucci, both whom are starting to click again like we saw earlier this season. Baldini will be hoping to score again after a beautiful brace last weekend in Como.
When you look at Cittadella’s next four games, it’s a tricky run-in when you consider the factors. They’ll have to play two clubs fighting to stay in the league (Alessandria and Cosenza) and two teams above them which are doing well in the promotion playoff zone (Ascoli and Brescia).
On paper, Alessandria and Cosenza are the weakest teams, but in reality, they are the toughest opponents you can face at this time of year. Given the way these teams play, knowing they’ll do anything for a result, expect two frustrating games where the Granata will most likely need to win by a goal to nil.
Alessandria
Alessandria are hanging on in the relegation dog fight. A massive win last weekend against Pordenone saw I Grigi go four points clear of a direct drop to Serie C. They are hoping to finish the year in the relegation playoff spot, where they’ll play a two legged tie against the other relegation playoff team.
When you look at their run-in, on paper Alessandria have a favorable fixture list. For head coach Moreno Longo, it would be the dream to finish the season above 18th place, and avoiding a scary Matchday 38 game against relegation rivals Vicenza, where the loser would most likely be relegated.
It’s this time of year where teams on the bottom half of the table will fight till the end for every point. And against a Cittadella side where promotion is looking slim, Alessandria will feel that they can earn a priceless victory at the Tombolato.
Midfielder Matteo Di Gennaro, who has been an important aspect of Alessandria’s squad, will have to sit out for the clash against Cittadella. Due to a yellow card last weekend, the defender will miss the crucial game on Monday, leaving massive shoes to fill in for the defense.
Top scorer Simone Corazza has scored 10 goals this season, and looks to add to his tally in this final push of the season. Corazza’s goals will be valuable to Alessandria’s league survival, and the team can’t afford to lose him.