[VERSO IL GIRO DI BOA] Greco's team will close the first leg on Thursday on Boxing Day in the direct home clash against Salernitana. After 2 knockouts in a row, a victory is needed to move a very dangerous ranking. It will be an important round for a very short ranking
Halfway point and “boxing day”. But also and above all a crossroads for bottom team Frosinone and various teams. The yellow-blue team, after the double misstep with Sassuolo and Mantua, will face Salernitana at home in Santo Stefano in a heated direct clash. A challenge between relegated and disappointed. Having slipped back to last place with 16 points, Frosinone must try to win to close the first leg on 19 and thus start the return leg with a little more confidence.
Otherwise the path to salvation would become even more uphill bearing in mind that before the break, on the 29th, Frosinone will be on stage on the pitch of the highly successful Juve Stabia. In short, 2 very demanding and important matches in 3 days that will close the year. On Thursday therefore it will be forbidden to make mistakes: in a championship like this balanced 3 points more or less can make all the difference in the world in the long run.
A thrilling direct clash
Frosinone and Salernitana are separated by 2 points: Ciociaria at 16 and Campania at 18. They meet again a few months later: the defeat at the “Stirpe” on April 26th confirmed Salernitana's mathematical relegation to Serie Bled by former Canary Stefano Colantuono, who returned to the Granata bench for a few weeks in place of Giovanni Martusciello. Both suffered their return to Serie B and are not having a good time with the standings and absences. Frosinone, after showing signs of recovery, suffered 2 defeats in a row and returned to the bottom of the table. Greco obviously trusts in the field factor and in the recoveries of the various players Tsadjout, Pecorino e Partipilo. Even though Captain Marchizza was injured on Saturday in Mantua.
Salernitana hasn't won in 3 rounds (2 points) and is in the playout zone. “We won't fix the rankings with just one victory – he said Colantuono – Of course, I'm worried enough. There's no need to feel sorry for ourselves now: we need to focus on the last two challenges of the year, improving some aspects and keeping things positive”. So woe to the losers in a match that promises to be tight and why not very tactical.
Dangerous intersections and short classification
It will be a very interesting last leg at the top (the Pisa-Sassuolo summit clash will be played) and at the back. In fact, 4 of the last 5 will compete. In addition to Frosinone-Salernitana, Sudtirol-Cittadella will be played, tied at 17 between the fourth to last and third to last place. While Cosenza will be involved in the long-awaited derby with Catanzaro. And therefore it is not difficult to predict that the cards on the table could be reshuffled on Thursday evening.
It's a very short ranking that will be presented at the halfway point. 13 teams within 7 points of eighth place (last of the playoffs) from Catanzaro at 23 to bottom Frosinone at 16. A typical tussle in the Serie B championship where every year different teams dance between the relegation zone and the playoff zone. In short, if the fight for direct promotion seems like a 3-way discussion (Sassuolo, Pisa and Spezia), for the rest balance and uncertainty reign.
Frosinone and the “boxing day”
The Ciociaria team played the “boxing day” 6 times, introduced by the Lega Serie B in 2012 at the time of the presidency of Andrea Abodi. A happy intuition from the current Minister of Sport: the day has always been a great success with the public in stadiums and on TV.
Frosinone's last time in 2022, the promotion season to Serie A with Fabio Grosso: the Canaries won 3-0 at the “Stirpe” against Ternana. Then 2 more successes: Frosinone-Benevento 3-2 (2016) and Foggia-Frosinone (2017). The balance sheet is completed by 2 defeats (Crotone-Frosinone 2-0 in 2014 and Frosinone-Crotone 1-2 in 2019) and 1 draw (Frosinone-Pordenone 1-1 in 2020).
