Cittadella looking for a ‘cupset’ in Lecce
On August 4, 2022 by Jake IovineMatch: Lecce vs Cittadella | Coppa Italia Round 1
Date: Friday, August 5th | 3pm EST
Venue: Stadio Via Del Mare – Lecce
TV: Paramount+
Nearly 90 days after Cittadella’s last competitive match, the Granata are back in action this weekend. Before kicking off their Serie B campaign against Pisa on the 13th, Edoardo Gorini’s side travels down to Puglia to face recently promoted Lecce.
After a retreat in Lavarone for a week and a half, Cittadella face their first big test of the year. For Lecce, this is also their first competitive match since beating Pordenone on the final day of Serie B, clinching promotion in front of a packed Via Del Mare.
In the new format, all Serie A and B teams compete from Round 1, followed by a few games from newly promoted Serie C sides in the primaries. The winner of Round 1 will advance to Round 2, where either team will face Palermo or Torino. A further advancement means a ticket to San Siro to play against the reigning Italian champions, AC Milan.
Gorini will have to deal without the presence of playmaker Enrico Baldini, as he was ruled out of the trip down south. New arrival Carlos Embalo will also be staying back home due to a muscle strain picked up in a preseason match against Trento. It’s the first real match of Gorini’s second season as head coach, but there is lots of pick from his disposal with many summer acquisitions.
Despite losing lethal striker Massimo Coda, Lecce’s danger man remains Gabriel Strefezza. Scoring 14 goals and tallying 6 assists last season in Serie B, the winger will be vital to Lecce not only on Friday, but in order to survive in the top flight. Milan loanee Lorenzo Colombo is also one to watch in the attack as well as Danish midfielder Morten Hjulmand, who played 37 out of the 38 league games last season.
Cittadella has certainly been a thorn in the side for Lecce, especially at the Via Del Mare. The Granata can boast that they’ve never tasted defeat at the Giallorossi‘s house, and have gone 5-2-1 since their first meeting in 2009.
The Coppa Italia has given an opportunity for lesser known clubs to enter the stoplight against bigger teams. Can Cittadella pull off a surprise win to open their 2022/23 season with a bang?
Photo: AS Cittadella