Sammarinese Super Cup: Tre Penne v Virtus opens the new season

The new campaign kicks off with Tre Penne v Virtus. The first match of the 2023-24 San Marino football season is the same fixture that brought last season to a close. On that occasion it was the Acquaviva side who triumphed over their counterparts from Città in the final act of the Coppa Titano BKN301. Tomorrow evening, however, it will be time for the 2023 Sammarinese Super Cup, pitting the league winners – Stefano Ceci’s Tre Penne – against the aforementioned neroverdi of Luigi Bizzotto, victorious in the national cup. The two sides come into tomorrow night’s showdown – kick-off at 20:45 at the San Marino Stadium, live streaming on Titani.tv – in contrasting moments of form. On one side Tre Penne, who have hardly stopped between the UEFA Champions League first and the UEFA Europa Conference League afterwards. "We finished on 2 August and started up again on the 16th," commented the biancazzurri head coach Stefano Ceci. "Despite the short time available, the lads are in good shape and we are ready for this challenge." The situation is different for Virtus, who have not played since 27 May, the day their win allowed the neroverdi to lift the Coppa Titano BKN301. "The group is doing well," said head coach Luigi Bizzotto. "And even though we have not played in the European competitions this summer, we have been training as best we can. We are not yet at peak condition but overall I am satisfied and we are ready for this final." It will be a first time in the Sammarinese Super Cup for Imre Badalassi, who has been in the Republic for several seasons now but has never yet played this final: "We’ve practically never stopped," said the biancazzurri striker. "But even if we have not had much rest, we feel good. We are training and we want to get off to the best possible start with the new season just around the corner." Ready to battle in midfield is also Ivan Buonocunto, one of last season’s standout performers for the Acquaviva neroverdi: "We want to give ourselves another reason to be proud; the club has worked well in preparation for this season too. We are facing another final, we are ready and we want this trophy as well. We have been inactive for longer than our opponents, but where the legs may not be enough, the mentality to bring the cup home has to make up for it." Looking ahead to the Campionato Sammarinese BKN301 – which will kick off on the weekend of 16-17 September – both coaches were asked for their thoughts on the new format, which will no longer include a rest day, as San Marino Academy will join the starting grid as the sixteenth team. "It will be important to give continuity to our training sessions," commented Tre Penne coach Ceci, "in order to maintain the right condition and concentration. I am in favour of this decision." Sharing that view is also the neroverdi coach Bizzotto, who adds that he is "curious to see the Academy boys in action this season. For many of them it will be a great experience to test themselves against more experienced teams and players, helping them to grow more and more." A reminder that admission to the match will be completely free, but attention should be paid to how you travel to the San Marino Stadium, as on the same evening the event "Tuttavia…che spettacolo!" will be held in Serravalle. Piazzale Giovanni Paolo II and Via Rancaglia (from the entrance to the Olympic Museum car park to the junction with Strada La Ciarulla) will be closed to traffic and parking from 14:00 on Friday 1 September 2023 until 19:00 on Sunday 3 September 2023.

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