It’s playoff time: Cittadella hosts in-form Arzignano in Girone Round One

A new season begins on Sunday.

That’s the message from Cittadella head coach Manuel Iori heading into Round One of the Serie C promotion playoffs against Arzignano.

“What’s been done before only counts until today,” Iori said on Saturday. “From tomorrow, a new championship begins. Playoffs are another season because everything changes completely, everything is reset. You simply start with the position you earned.”

The Granata start their promotion playoff journey from the first round of the 28-team tournament on Sunday afternoon, where the team hosts Arzignano in a one-off match at the Stadio Piercesare Tombolato.

Due to its higher ranking, Cittadella only needs a draw in 90 minutes to advance to the next round. Iori’s side would play Trento on Wednesday in another one-off tie with a chance to enter the National Phase draw.

But despite entering Sunday as the higher seed, there’s reason to be cautious for the Granata. The team ended the regular season losing four of its final six games, going from a potential fourth place finish to the sixth seed. Cittadella has also kept just two clean sheets since the start of the new year, and recently lost back-to-back home games for the first time since September.

Arzignano, meanwhile, is the hottest team in the division entering the weekend. No team has taken more points (23) from its last 10 games than Daniele Di Donato’s men, who have also conceded just three goals in their last seven outings.

The Grifone sat inside the relegation zone on Matchday 31. Since then, Arzignano won six of its last seven games — including one against Cittadella on March 22 — to finish ninth and reach the playoffs.

“Attention to details, particulars, concentration,” Iori said on what aspects will make the difference on Sunday. “We have to be fierce in terms of concentration. We have to keep the standard high because that’s where you make the difference in these games.”

No team has won promotion starting from Round One of the Girone Phase since Cosenza during the 2017/18 season. If Cittadella were to win promotion back to the second division, the team would have to play 10 games in six different rounds.

That road to Serie B starts against Arzignano on Sunday afternoon.

“We know our (final weeks of the season) may have encountered some setbacks, but it’s also true that a new championship is starting,” Iori said.

“Tomorrow it’s one (game). There no more ‘next one’ or ‘the one after’. There is if you do things right. The sense of responsibility must be very high. We have to put in a real performance from all points of view.”

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MATCH: Cittadella vs. Arzignano – Serie C Playoff, Girone First Round

DATE: May 3, 2026 – 17:30 CET (11:30 EST)

VENUE: Stadio Piercesare Tombolato – Cittadella

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TOP PHOTO: Massimo Felicetti / A.S. Cittadella