Cittadella – Reggiana: early relegation battle for Dal Canto’s men

MATCH: Cittadella vs Reggiana | Serie BKT Matchday 18

DATE: Dec. 21, 2024 | 17:15 CET (11:15 a.m. EST)

VENUE: Stadio Piercesare Tombolato | Cittadella

Cittadella remains bottom of Serie B as Christmas approaches, but an important few days awaits for the Granata as they face two relegation battles in five days, including Reggiana on Saturday.

Alessandro Dal Canto’s side will face Reggiana at the Stadio Piercesare Tombolato at 17:15 CET with a chance to close the gap in the relegation fight. Cittadella will then travel to 19th place Sudtirol on Boxing Day to conclude the first half of the season.

Dal Canto, however, sees these games differently.

“I wouldn’t make this kind of reasoning,” he said in his prematch press conference on the idea of four points in two games. “My attention is on Reggiana, then tomorrow on Suditrol. Tomorrow is relegation battle because they have 18 points.”

It’s been a year of countless difficulties for Cittadella, who is enduring its worst start to a Serie B season after 17 games. The Granata sit in last place tied on 14 points with Sudtirol, who will face Cittadella on Boxing Day in another six pointer.

Reggiana enters the weekend with troubles of its own, having only won twice since the start of September. The Emilia-Romagnan club sits 14th in the league, one point above the relegation play-out spot and four points above Cittadella following back-to-back home defeats to Sassuolo and Modena.

“I don’t think they’re a team who’ll fight to stay up,” Dal Canto said. “On paper, the team is not one to fight for safety. We have to play to the maximum of our possibilities, with great respect for a strong team.”

The Tombolato hasn’t been a friendly place for Cittadella to play in 2024. The Granata are 1-9-7 at home since January, having gone 16 consecutive home games without a win. Cittadella is also the only team in Serie B yet to taste victory at home this season.

There’s a glimmer of hope for Dal Canto’s men going into the weekend. Cittadella holds a 4-2-1 all-time record against Reggiana at the Tombolato. The Granata have won three out of the last four Serie B meetings against Reggiana, which included doing the double last season.

“We have to follow up on what we’ve done,” Dal Canto said. “We have already achieved some positive results, like against Sampdoria and Palermo. We need continuity of performances and results, otherwise we won’t get out of this.”

PHOTO: Massimo Felicetti / A.S. Cittadella