Reggiana vs Cittadella: A possible season-defining game

Reggiana hosts Cittadella at the Mapei Stadium on Friday afternoon, with the Emilia-Romagnan’s looking to go level on points with Citta in 17th place.

Both teams will be playing their first game in 13 days after the postponement of Matchday 34 following the death of Pope Francis.

Reggiana enters Friday winless in 10 games, having lost its last three outings since the March international break.

The struggles are no different for Cittadella, who sits in the relegation play-out zone and three points ahead of Reggiana. Alessandro Dal Canto’s men have picked up 12 points since the start of the new year: the fourth lowest tally out of any team in Serie B. The Granata are currently tied on 35 points with Sampdoria, Sudtirol and Brescia approaching the final five games of the regular season.

Dal Canto’s side looked set to face Salernitana on Monday, while Reggiana traveled to play Brescia in another relegation six-pointer. However, following the unexpected postponement, both sides will be rested for nearly two weeks before taking the field tomorrow.

“There was a bit of confusion,” Dal Canto said in his prematch press conference about Monday’s canceled game. “It was an extraordinary event, we’ll try to do the best we can even in the rescheduled matches.

“Great physical efficiency will be needed and it may be that those who have played less can be decisive in the outcome of the matches,” he said. “After Reggiana, four matches await us in 13 days, we must be physically ready to sustain this effort.”

Citta‘s last visit to the Mapei Stadium ended in a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Sassuolo, which led way for Edoardo Gorini’s dismissal. Despite the heavy defeat in October, the Granata recorded back-to-back 2-0 victories in their last two Serie B meetings in Reggio Emilia against Reggiana. A third consecutive away win against the Emilia-Romagnan’s would put the Granata six points clear of their relegation rivals.

Dal Canto’s men still know fate is in their own hands going into the final five games. Of Cittadella’s next five opponents, four of them currently sit in the bottom half of the table.

“At this point, all matches count,” Dal Canto said. “I don’t want the team to arrive at the match against Reggiana with too much pressure. We will have to play a spirited and courageous match from all points of view.”

MATCH: Reggiana vs Cittadella – Serie BKT Matchday 35

DATE: April 25, 2025 – 15:00 CET (9:00 EST)

VENUE: Mapei Stadium – Reggio Emilia

STREAMING: Destination Calcio (USA, UK, Canada, Ireland)

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TOP PHOTO: Massimo Felicetti – A.S. Cittadella