NAT San Marino: technical staff unveiled ahead of the UEFA Regions' Cup

At last, after the cancellation of the 2020-21 edition, the UEFA Regions' Cup is back. The continental amateur competition in which San Marino has always performed well, also in terms of results achieved, resumes for the Biancazzurri from the Intermediate Round. The head coach of NAT San Marino has been confirmed as Luigi Bizzotto, already in charge of the Representative side which – due to the pandemic – was unable to take the field on the international stage in 2020. "For the entire Sammarinese football movement this is a moment of great emotion,” opened President Marco Tura at the press conference, “as an important event returns four years on from the last edition. For us it is hugely significant, first and foremost because in this competition we showcase the highest expression of Sammarinese competitions; in fact, NAT San Marino is a representative side that selects players of different nationalities and not exclusively Sammarinese. In the Regions' Cup we have often stood out for the excellent results obtained, obviously relative to the amateur nature of the competition – even though it is continental in scope. Out of superstition I will not state my expectations publicly, but given the format of the competition and our past experience, I believe that all of us can legitimately hope to repeat the good things we have done in the past. We should not forget that the staff here today, coordinated by head coach Luigi Bizzotto, is already a guarantee of competence and quality, with an ideal wealth of experience to build and lead the best possible team. I would therefore like to thank them in advance". Alongside head coach Luigi Bizzotto, the staff includes: Mattia Rizzo (Assistant Coach), Roberto Penserini (Technical Assistant), Luigi Di Spirito (Fitness Coach), Claudio Bertoni (Goalkeeping Coach), Annamaria Ferri (Team Doctor), Paolo Gori (Physiotherapist) and Matteo Guiducci (Team Manager). In particular, for the on-pitch core of this group, identifying the ideal profiles to take part in the UEFA Regions' Cup has been a complex task: "Putting the squad together is quite complicated because player eligibility is governed by rather restrictive rules – even more so for a representative side drawn from a league of just fifteen teams," commented Bizzotto. "We have tried to draw from all, or almost all, of the clubs, while safeguarding the technical quality of the players. We were very pleased with the enthusiasm and availability that each of them showed right from the start, both for training and in view of a possible call-up. Let us not forget that, given the amateur nature of this competition, it involves an away trip of around ten days. For those who are workers before they are footballers, this is not a commitment to be underestimated. I want to thank all the players involved straight away, including those who will not be able to travel to Bulgaria, for the great willingness they have shown towards this project. All of this,” continued Luigi Bizzotto, “gives me real confidence for the success of the trip, because the necessary and sufficient condition is the total involvement of the players: since everyone has shown themselves to be enthusiastic and eager to represent Sammarinese football and seize this opportunity, I would say the signs are extremely positive. All of us, staff included, are extremely proud to be able to represent our movement in Bulgaria". As a showcase of Sammarinese competitions, the domestic schedule has also been adapted to give NAT San Marino the best possible conditions ahead of the trip to Bulgaria. In particular, Matchday 7 of the Campionato Sammarinese BKN301 will be played entirely in advance, with fixtures scheduled for Friday 21 and Saturday 22 October. "We have a duty to put NAT San Marino in the best possible position to face this important and prestigious international challenge," assured the FSGC General Secretary, Luigi Zafferani. "To avoid the team travelling on the eve of the first matchday, we decided to bring forward the league fixtures initially scheduled for Sunday 23 to Saturday 22 October. This way, NAT San Marino will be able to depart on Sunday and prepare in the best possible way for their UEFA Regions' Cup campaign". In closing, a reflection on the growth of Sammarinese competitions compared to equivalent national amateur tournaments, of which NAT San Marino is the leading standard-bearer at European level. The results achieved in the UEFA Regions' Cup are in fact the litmus test of the increased competitiveness and quality of the Sammarinese tournaments from which the players are drawn. "It is not me saying this, but the results that clubs have achieved in European competitions in recent years," testified Bizzotto. "I believe and hope we will be able to fully express this improvement". It is difficult, if not impossible, to obtain detailed information on their opponents – as they too are representative sides, mostly regional, being assembled in these very weeks. "We do not know the teams we will be facing, inevitably, but our intention is to acquit ourselves well. All the players called up have characteristics that can ensure a good level of performance even on the international stage". NAT San Marino are scheduled to make their debut on Tuesday 25 October at 10:00 against the Regional Amateur Representative of Ireland. Three days later, again with kick-off at 10:00, they will face the Regional Amateur Representative of Bulgaria, the host nation. Finally, on Monday 31 October (14:00), they will take on the Regional Amateur Representative of Romania.

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