Futsal: the race for the play-offs will be decided in next week’s double matchday

Two games in four days next week, during which the last doubts over the group of teams that will take part in the post-season will be dispelled. Quite possibly completely, considering that – once this double round is over – only the final matchday of the regular season will remain. The target is to finish in the top twelve, while for the bottom three the season will effectively be over. In this respect, Tre Penne, Cailungo and Faetano are all called on to climb the table, each with varying degrees of difficulty. The tasks awaiting the teams coached by Bollini and Corbelli are almost desperate, lying 4 and 5 points respectively behind San Giovanni. Even three wins might not be enough, and in Faetano’s case they would have to come against Juvenes-Dogana, Tre Fiori and Libertas. As for Cailungo, after Monday night’s clash with Virtus there will be a direct showdown with Murata before finishing against Tre Fiori. Finally, Tre Penne cannot afford to slip up against Pennarossa, as they chase a move into 12th place before taking on Juvenes-Dogana and Folgore. You can’t do your sums without the innkeeper, in this case Gualtieri’s San Giovanni. The Rossoneri’s run-in is anything but straightforward, starting with Tre Fiori and then going on to face Libertas and Virtus. The clash with Bugli’s side – who only lack the mathematical certainty of third place – will be played on Monday night in Dogana (21:45). One player is suspended for each side: Mariotti and Volpinari. On the same pitch, by then, the match between Faetano and Juvenes-Dogana will already have finished; as mentioned, it represents a last call for Corbelli’s Gialloblù, with kick-off at 20:15. At the same time, Tre Penne’s fixture against Pennarossa is also scheduled (Fiorentino, 20:15). The Biancazzurri have failed to claw back even a single point on San Giovanni over the last five matches, in which both sides have collected just one point. The three-point gap in the table, slight as it is, could change the course of a season: at present, Galli’s and Gualtieri’s teams sit just above and just below the play-off line. Pennarossa have not won in three rounds, but their only defeat in that stretch came against Cosmos – who sit idle this matchday. On the artificial turf in Fiorentino, La Fiorita and Libertas, both already sure of their place in the post-season, will close out the programme. The San Marino runners-up must defend fourth place from the ambitions of Virtus and Domagnano, in order to avoid the Preliminary Round and begin their play-off campaign directly at the quarter-final stage. That preliminary route is inevitable for Libertas, who at the very least want to improve their position in the table. They are 4 points behind Cosmos, but have a manageable end to the season ahead of Penserini’s Granata, who come into this stretch on the back of three wins in their last five games. In Acquaviva, Cailungo will be playing for their remaining hopes of getting back into the race for 12th place (20:15), which they currently trail by four points. The Rossoverdi lost the derby with Libertas after stringing together two consecutive victories. Getting back to winning ways against Virtus, far from an easy opponent, could open up new and unexpected scenarios. A defeat, on the other hand, could render the direct clash with Murata meaningless. The Bianconeri will take on Domagnano in the second match scheduled on the Acquaviva artificial pitch. Cellarosi’s side are close to sealing their spot in the post-season, despite their recent outings having highlighted some defensive issues – which, to an extent, were to be expected against teams such as Fiorentino or La Fiorita. The Wolves, meanwhile, are seeking greater consistency in their results after an up-and-down few weeks that have produced two wins, two draws and one defeat. It is wishful thinking to imagine Domagnano finishing fourth at the end of the post-season, but even ending up one place higher – that is, in the fifth spot currently occupied by Virtus – would offer better guarantees when it comes to the make-up of the knock-out phase. In this regard, Domagnano will be able to count on one extra match, as the Neroverdi will observe their rest round on the penultimate matchday of the league season. The match clou of matchday 28, however, is undoubtedly Fiorentino-Folgore. Seen by many as a potential dress rehearsal for the final, it will not have the regular-season top spot on the line as everyone had expected. This is because multiple absences in Spada’s squad have seen the reigning champions slip 5 points behind Fiorentino, following a draw with La Fiorita and defeat to Tre Fiori. In any case, it is hard to imagine the Rossoblù being knocked off top spot between now and the end of the season and, in fact, Michelotti’s men head into this blockbuster clash in much better shape. The match will be played on Tuesday at the Multieventi (21:30), as will the game on 2 May which – with the same teams involved – will award the first trophy of the year: the Titano Futsal Cup.

---