Ready, if necessary, to change skin. It could be one of the keys to getting the better of Udine in the playoff semi-final. What a challenge, halfway through the playoffs, against another team and a club that, a bit like Cantù, are chasing Serie A.
The Cantù captain Filippo Baldi Rossi tries to give an interpretation of the challenge that awaits S.Bernardo from Sunday at 6pm at the PalaFitLine in Desio. But you can’t do it unless you think back for a moment on the quarter-final series against Cividale. Which gave a lot to Cantù, in terms of enthusiasm. And not only that, as the captain reveals: «Today I feel like saying that we not only won a series, but we also trained intensity. The first thing we will have to do against Udine is bring back to the field that level of intensity seen against Cividale.”
«Cividale very training test»
Which, as expected, proved to be a far from soft opponent: «It’s a team that played a great phase, which has grown over time after having been fighting for salvation. It was enough to refresh the roster, and they made the playoffs: we were second, they were seventh, but they were a false photograph, because in fact they were the best team of the season when we faced them. Which gives more value to our passage to the next round.”
We then turn the page, but Cantù still remains in Friuli, to face Udine: «Having Cividale was a good test, very training in view of a series that could be long – this is the prediction – because Udine has the same objective as us ».
And, without mincing too many words, for Baldi Rossi it is a great collective: «They are well trained, they have a top-notch roster with many experienced players, even in Serie A. We saw them recently, but it will be a whole ‘other Udine. When we faced them, neither had a real objective and they were at reduced ranks.”
Will Clark’s absence be an advantage? «He is a player who gives balance, he is not a “ball-eater”, but he has always done well in Italy in Turin and Treviglio. Without him, they regrouped, making good use of the Italian forces, Gaspardo above all: he played some incredible quarters.”
Another important component, in view of Udine, was to have avoided the “pretty” match with Cividale: «It is very important to have finished there. We saved ourselves 40 minutes at their home, with energy that we will put directly into game 1.”
«Starting well»
And how is the team? «There is a lot of desire to play. We know that now every match is a game of chess, the moves can also change during the series, playing a lot and in just a few days.”
The field factor is a… factor? «Above all it has some “pros”, but it certainly increases the pressure. For us it must be a positive pressure. It is an advantage that must be defended at all costs. With the 2-0, we can think about going to play in Udine, I’m not saying in flip flops, but a little lighter. And starting well is always a mental challenge: it gives security that no one comes to win with us. However, let’s keep in mind that it could be a long series, the values on the pitch say so: we need to be ready and organised, also to adapt to an experienced team, and in this case also to change our skin during the series.”
2024-05-17 11:51:06
#Udine #chess #games
