Friday, 21 September 2007

Serie B Week 5: Weekend Preview

After last weekend’s astonishing array of stalemates, Week 5’s second tier fixtures promise to be altogether more entertaining.

Amazingly, five of Week 4’s 11 games ended in 0-0 draws and there were only 11 goals in total as the Cadetti’s sides cancelled each other out.

However, it seems that there is no stopping Albinoleffe. The Bergamo minnows eased past newly-promoted Ravenna and sit proudly top of the table before Brescia’s rearranged win over Piacenza.

The tiny side with gates that regularly dip below 3,000 have astonished everyone with their brand of attacking football. New boss Elio Gustinetti is the man who led them to Serie B back in 2002 and he is defying the odds again.

Despite the magic of prolific hitman Massimo Cellino and young midfield star Andrea Cristiano, the Italian public aren’t convinced. Leffe are still amongst the least backed sides in the nation’s bookies and the general consensus is that the bubble will burst spectacularly. The miracle men travel to Modena this weekend to face one of Serie B’s most inconsistent sides with a draw the most likely outcome.

It has already been a bad week for Spezia and it could get worse as they visit Ascoli. The Eagles were deducted a point for financial irregularites and now prop up the table. With confidence low after a 1-0 defeat at home to fellow stragglers Triestina, there is nothing to suggest that they can overturn the newly relegated Woodpeckers.

The new leaders in Serie B are Brescia. The Rondinelle have a 100 per cent record after four wins from four and are yet to even concede a goal.

Davide Possanzini is firing on all cylinders and the ex-Juventus man Alessio Tachinardi is reliving his glory days as Serse Cosmi’s brand of direct man management seems to be working wonders. Messina are an uncertain proposition, but they have already been destroyed 4-0 by Mantova on their travels and won’t relish another long trip to Lombardy.

Source: C4 Football Italia

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