Play-off finals: City derby with Europe at stake, Cosmos and La Fiorita battle for 4th place

Between tomorrow and Saturday evening the 2023-24 Campionato Sammarinese BKN301 will deliver its final verdicts. It starts with the "small final" for 4th place, which tomorrow will pit La Fiorita against Cosmos. It will in effect be a farewell to the 2023-24 season for the Serravalle side who, having missed out on both the title and Europe, will at least try to take the satisfaction of finishing among the top four. It is a different story for Manfredini’s team, who can still claim both a trophy and a place in the next UEFA Europa Conference League: if the league has not brought much joy for the Gialloblù, the Coppa Titano might, with the final on Saturday 25 May setting the Montegiardino side against Virtus, fresh from their first Scudetto. In this season’s previous meetings between Cosmos and La Fiorita, it is the latter who hold the upper hand, with a draw and a win in the league regular season. As has often been pointed out, this clash features plenty of former players on both sides, starting with Cosmos coach Nicola Berardi. Not all of them will be able to take part in the "small final", though: Simone Loiodice is suspended. Also banned by the Sports Judge are Alessandro Semprini, Vitaioli and Mazzotti. Kick-off is at 20:45 in Acquaviva. There is a definite scent of Europe around the final for 2nd place, which will be played at the San Marino Stadium (free entry) on Saturday evening, again at 20:45. Murata want to crown their season’s charge with a victory that would mean a return to European skies sixteen years after their last appearance. It was in July 2008 that the Scudetto-winning black-and-whites faced Göteborg in the First Qualifying Round of the Champions League. Tre Penne, on the other hand, played their last Champions League campaign only last year, thanks to their league title, and have generally been involved in European club competitions for five consecutive years, having missed only three in the last fourteen seasons. Ceci’s men therefore need a derby win to extend this tradition, while being careful not to underestimate the potential of a side that can fully be described as the surprise package of the current season, even if in the two league meetings they have always had to bow to their biancazzurri "cousins" and have never found the net. The winners qualify for the Conference League, a competition Tre Penne have already "tasted" over the last two summers. Sergio Grassi, who is suspended, will have to watch the match from the stands at the Stadium. It is worth remembering that in the finals there is no advantage for the higher finish in the regular season: if the match is level after 90 minutes, extra time will be played and, if needed, a penalty shoot-out will follow. Here is the schedule for the two play-off finals, which will be broadcast live and free to air on TITANI.TV:

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