Futsal: Serravalle derby assigned to Gibraltar refereeing duo Sheriff-Sanchez

The Referee Exchange project, which assigns San Marino match officials to national competitions of other FAs, continues at pace and with many interesting new developments. This applies to both 11-a-side football and futsal: this weekend Tonelli and Ilie have been appointed to matches in the Gibraltar futsal league. The exchange is two-way, in fact next Wednesday’s eagerly awaited clash between Folgore and Juvenes-Dogana at the Multieventi will be refereed by the pairing of Sheriff and Sanchez. The former has been a FIFA international since 2017. The Serravalle derby will bring the curtain down on what promises to be a lively matchday – the twenty-first of the season. The six teams behind Fiorentino will be facing off, in direct clashes of huge importance. The meeting between the sides coached by Zonzini – a former Juvenes-Dogana boss – and Levani looks, on paper, the most unbalanced, but Juvenes-Dogana have shown they can hold their own and cause problems even for the most structured teams. On the synthetic pitch in Domagnano, already tomorrow evening, the other two fixtures involving the frontrunners will take place. Murata–La Fiorita could trigger a change in third place, with the Bianconeri currently two points behind the Montegiardino club. It is perhaps the match of the year for Cellarosi’s boys, who kick off at 21:45. The Gialloblù, for their part, are chasing a win that would – at worst – allow them not to lose ground on second-placed Folgore, three points ahead. Virtus and Tre Fiori, meanwhile, get underway at 20:15. To understand how much these games could shape the race for the top positions, it is enough to note that the four clubs just mentioned are separated by as many points. Virtus are one point behind Tre Fiori, who sit fifth. A fiery encounter is in prospect, and on paper a far more balanced one than the reverse fixture on Matchday 6, which saw Bugli’s side claim a comfortable victory. In Dogana, San Giovanni and Pennarossa will open the evening. The Chiesanuova club have been dragged into the battle for twelfth place, not least because Cailungo have picked up nine points from their last four matches. Getting back to winning ways after four games without a victory is crucial for Casadei’s men, who face the bottom side (joint with Faetano), who are equally aware that this meeting with Pennarossa could provide the chance to get their league campaign moving again. Marco Baldani is definitely out through suspension. The task is tougher this time for Cailungo. Impeccable in recent direct clashes with their rivals, Venerucci’s team are preparing for the Tre Penne test. The Biancazzurri currently occupy ninth place in the table, sitting roughly equidistant between Domagnano and Libertas. Libertas, for their part, will travel to Fiorentino tomorrow night without Francesco Rossi, booked under a disciplinary warning in the win over Domagnano – a match in which he also got on the scoresheet. Libertas are in good shape, having also beaten Tre Penne recently after facing the top three sides in succession. They will be a tough nut to crack for Faetano, who sit bottom of the table alongside San Giovanni. At the other end of the standings are Fiorentino, who face Cosmos at 21:45 on the same pitch. Michelotti’s men have won every game bar one, their most recent outing – a draw with Folgore. Hardly good news for the Serravalle club, currently defending their place in the post-season from the charge of a Cailungo side now just three points behind. The reigning champions will be without Luca Zafferani, who has been decisive in Fiorentino’s recent performances. Here is the Matchday 21 schedule of the Campionato Sammarinese di futsal: Click here for the updated standings

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