Cittadella open a tough Serie B campaign on Saturday night.
On August 12, 2022 by Jake IovineMatch: Cittadella vs Pisa | Serie B Matchday 1
Date: Saturday, August 13th | 2:45pm EST
Venue: Stadio Piercesare Tombolato
TV: Helbiz Live
A little over a week after Cittadella’s Coppa Italia upset in Lecce, the Granata return home to Stadio Piercesare Tombolato for the first time since April 30th.
Up first on what should be a thrilling league season are Pisa. Former Cittadella manager Ronald Maran will lead his team in their first league match since a promotion final loss to Monza in May.
Restarting in Serie B after coming inches from promotion, Pisa have lost some of their key players who made that run to the final. Striker Lorenzo Lucca joined Dutch giants Ajax. Defender Maxime Leverbe joined Sampdoria on loan, while Samuele Birindelli made the decision to join Monza. But the big change saw head coach Luca D’Angelo leave his post after four years with the club.
Despite all these losses, Pisa has managed to bring in quality players like Arturo Calabresi, Artur Ionita, and Olimpiu Morutan. Returnee Ernesto Torregrossa is by far Pisa’s most dangerous striker, scoring 7 goals in 13 starts after joining in January.
On the other side of the field, Cittadella playmaker Enrico Baldini has been included in the matchday roster after missing the trip to Lecce. Baldini will be a key player for the Granata this season if Edoardo Gorini’s side want to make any push towards the promotion playoffs.
Another player that wants to continue to breakthrough is 22 year old Tommaso Cassandro, who is coming off his best season so far as a professional with 24 games played while contributing highly towards Cittadella’s backline.
This season the attacking department must show up consistently following a dull campaign last time around with 38 goals scored in 38 games. In contrast, the defense only conceded 36 goals but kept the most clean sheets out of any Serie B team (16). Sporting Director Stefano Marchetti has done his homework in bringing attacking powers like Carlos Embalo and Raul Asencio, who add too the forward line alongside Giacomo Beretta, Mamadou Tounkara, and Baldini.
It’s Cittadella’s first home game since April in a 1-0 victory over Brescia. Saturday night is expected to have around 2,500 people in the stands, almost double the amount of the average last season. Season tickets have reached the 1,200 mark, and the number is still rising.
Both teams want a good showing in the season opener. Cittadella have only lost their league opener one time in the last nine years, and they hope to continue that form on Saturday night.
Top Photo: AS Cittadella