Cittadella on the brink of elimination from playoff contention.

Alessandria may have put the final nail in the coffin for Cittadella’s playoff hopes, as the Granata find themselves seven points adrift with three games remaining.

It’s all but over for Edoardo Gorini and Cittadella as they get ready to travel to Ascoli knowing a loss would officially end any sniff of a playoff berth. Even with a result at the Stadio Del Duca on Monday, the Granata need help from elsewhere to just stay afloat, as well as a massive comeback to jump into the top 8.

Along with the help, it’s likely Cittadella won’t be featuring in the 2022 Serie A promotion playoffs. This would end their five season streak of making it into the playoffs, setting a new record for the league.

There’s three ways Cittadella can officially let go of the hope for Serie A for next year. The first and most simple way is they lose against Ascoli, which will see them be done for the season. Another way is a draw in Ascoli but Frosinone pick up a draw or a win later on against Monza. Finally, even with a win for Gorini and co, a Frosinone victory would eliminate the Granata, despite picking up a win.

Despite this season not going perfectly to plan, it leaves some regret knowing Cittadella could’ve been much closer to the playoff line. Since the new year, Cittadella have struggled to keep up with the playoff pack. On top of this, you can add all the late goals and points dropped in the dying minutes of matches, most notably Monza and Ternana last month. There was also a late equalizer against Como, as well as against Monza again all the way back in October.

It’s very easy to look back and ask “what if”. But when you look at the big picture, it’s been a very different year on and off the pitch. Attendances at home have dropped, new players coming in and out, and it was the first time Edoardo Gorini took control as head coach.

And to be fair, Gorini has done alright for this first year.

When you think of all the changes last summer, things could’ve gone much worse. Venturato’s departure, Iori’s retirement, the selling of key players like Proia, Gargiulo, and Adorni, these all massive changes that can be hard to deal with. Gorini has brought a newly constructed team into 10th place well beyond the relegation zone, not even a year after a heart-crushing playoff final loss the year before.

Though we’ve had some bumpy moments, Gorini has learned and experimented throughout the season, and it’s no doubt next season he’ll have a much better understanding as a head coach.

Cittadella may feel like the season is already over with games still to be played, but perhaps this is an opportunity for younger players to get some experience and games in their resumé. 18 year old Primavera striker Saliou Thioune has already made his pro debut earlier this month, so it’s possible we’ll be seeing more of him as the season comes to a close. Nikolas Smajlaj is another Primavera player that Gorini might want to try out and look to the future.

The season may be heading towards a disappointing ending, but make no mistake about it: there has been some great showings and potential within this squad. As playoff hopes are looking very slim, it’s important to remember in the long term, it’s just a ripple in the ocean.