Against Monza he won only once out of 6 matches. But it was the most important one. Away with the frills, in genuine Venetian style: take care of the point, on and off the pitch. For this woe to abuse the word fable to describe this Citadel. That in the playoff semifinal he knocked out the red and white of Berlusconi and Galliani and that Serie B closed it with the highest number of fouls (111), posts hit (19), header goals (15) and players sent to sign (18, like Monza).
Different from the Brianza area, if anything, he had the maximum amount of wages. With the Fininvest team that spent almost 19 million euros, remaining behind only Spal. From the taps of the Cittadella, however, just over 3 million euros came out. Less than anyone else. Under the walls of the Paduan village, finding someone who brings home more than 100 thousand euros a year is no small feat. Enrico Baldini, 3 goals in the first leg semifinal to Brocchi and boys, the salaries of his colleagues in Serie B see them all with binoculars, if it is true that no more than 40 thousand euros end up in his pockets. In January it was in Fano, C. Same category from which Daniele Donnarumma was fished. Thanks to Stefano Marchetti, general manager for two decades at Cittadella, capable of sifting through the minor categories and among the desires to emerge of those who have not yet been able to do so. And thanks to Roberto Venturato, the coach who started from Australian Queensland and came to find football America right at the Tombolato: fifth consecutive year in the playoffs, record of games played in the post-season promotion for his team.
A result obtained after the precious pieces were sold again last summer: Diaw at Pordenone, before the transfer to Monza, Paleari at Genoa. Feet firmly on the ground, when it comes to arithmetic, never step longer than the leg and clear direction to follow. So on Sunday we play the final that in 2019 saw the grenades win the first leg 2-0, only to lose the A with the 3-0 in the return match against Verona. Now another challenge with the flags of San Marco waving, on the pitch and from the houses surrounding the stadium, destined for immediate adaptation works in the event of promotion to the highest category. If it were to be A, the housewives would be played in Treviso, more likely in Padua. But first there is Venice to overcome. Not a derby, because the Cittadella is not Vicenza and “because we are considered the country team”, confesses Davide De Marchi, the communications manager of the company founded in 1973. An awareness that does not know of self-pity, but rather it is synonymous with the sense of belonging that has cemented the group. “There are no stars here and everyone is rowing on the same side.” And the direction is Serie A.
