The textual chronicle
(LaPresse)
The Friuli Stadium - Dacia Arena in Udine
On 8 November Spezia-Udinese ended 1-1, while in the 2021-2022 season the two direct matches had ended 0-1 for Udinese in La Spezia and 2-3 for Spezia in Udine. Udinese are coming off two defeats, 3-1 against Inter in Milan and 1-0 at Torino, and a 2-2 draw with Sassuolo. The team coached by Andrea Sottil sails quietly in tenth place with 30 points. Only two points from the seventh position that could (but the conditional is a must) guarantee access to the Conference League if one of the top six in the standings wins the Italian Cup or an Italian triumphs in a European cup. In view of the match against Udinese, Sottil's first thought goes to his defender victim of a knee injury: "For Ebosse we are very sorry, because Enzo is a strong player and a very good guy, who immediately entered the Udinese dimension. I wish him to recover as quickly as possible. We are waiting for him with open arms." As the Juventus coach explains, "the week was intense, a lot of work and concentration to better prepare for tomorrow's game. Having recovered Perez and Masina is good: the more players are available, the better it is from every point of view: for the team, the quality and intensity of training, the most important thing. The daily competition with the whole group is more training and stimulating, as well as giving me more choices to manage the game." And about Pereyra, Sottil says: "He is an extraordinary footballer who can play in all roles, a real added value. He just has to perfect his physical condition, but he is very close."
In the last six league games Spezia have brought home only one point thanks to a 2-2 draw with Empoli, against whom they were winning 0-2 with 20 minutes to go. According to the numbers, the Ligurians are still in the safety zone, but from January to today Verona (the direct rival not to go to Serie B) has recovered six points going from eight at the beginning of 2023 to the current two. Also for this Thursday the company has exonerated the coach Luca Gotti and chosen Leonardo Semplici in his place. Against Udinese the Eaglets can not be distracted. Introducing himself to the team and the fans, Semplici said: "I can't turn things upside down in two days nor do I want to. I want to give continuity by bringing my ideas and my philosophy, but it will take some more training. I consider myself a good coach but not so good as to change a team in three days. With the work I think I can make the best of this group". And Semplici continues: "Many talk about direct clashes, I say that the year I won the C with Spal I lost round trip with the second and third but we won the championship at +9. There is no precise formula, in every race we will have to try to steal points from everyone, because the qualities are there."