Titano Futsal Cup: Murata and Virtus meet in tomorrow’s final at the Multieventi

It is the eve of the Titano Futsal Cup final. Tomorrow evening, on the court of the Multieventi Sport Domus – with kick-off scheduled for 20:30 – Murata and Virtus will battle it out. It has been an intense week for the Bianconeri and Neroverdi, with two matches in just a few days – in line with the new format of the competition.

“The positive side is that there are fewer matches to play,” commented Nicola Albani, Murata’s team manager, at the traditional pre-match press conference, “even if the time available to prepare for the final is shorter than in recent editions.” Matteo Michelotti, coach of the Neroverdi, agrees: “I like the Final Eight format; it has been established for years now in Italy as well. Everything is condensed into a single week and you also have to deal with any unexpected events that can occur in such a short period.”

The focus at the press conference then shifted to tomorrow’s clash. Also present at the Casa del Calcio in Montecchio were the two captains, Danilo Busignani and Matteo Morganti. Murata, the reigning champions, go in as favourites, but their prolific forward remains cautious: “Recent results tell of a Virtus side that is in better shape than us. In certain matches, like tomorrow’s, however, the mental side will be decisive. We’ve shown that we rarely slip up in finals. I hope that will be the case again tomorrow. I’m expecting a balanced match,” Busignani continued, “in the league we won both meetings, but the more recent one was very hard-fought.”

If Murata – the holders – have been the most successful team in recent years, Virtus have not lifted a trophy since the 2008-09 season. On that occasion, the Neroverdi raised this very cup to the sky (then called the San Marino Futsal Cup) after beating Cosmos in the final. The chance to get back to winning ways also brings a bit of pressure for the Acquaviva club: “I’m expecting a very intense match right from the opening stages,” said Virtus captain Morganti. “We know full well the quality of our opponents, just as we know we can play our cards. We are training well and we have had clear targets since the start of the season. Tomorrow night we will give everything.”

“It will be a match well worth watching,” added Michelotti, “also because there will be many players from our National Team out on the court. I hope my lads give their all and are in the contest right up to the final second, with no regrets.”

“Finals are always difficult,” said Albani, “and we are aware that, as favourites, we are under greater pressure. It will be vital to stay focused. We know we have a quality squad; after that, it will be up to the pitch to do the talking.”

There have been two meetings between the sides this season, both at the Multieventi, and on both occasions Murata came out on top – with Virtus failing to score in either game (7–0 in the first round and 3–0 in the return fixture). The Titano Futsal Cup final will kick off at 20:30 at the Multieventi Sport Domus (free admission). The final will also be broadcast live via streaming on Titani.tv and San Marino RTV.