On Sunday 4 January Padua and Modena have already faced each other in the city, on the parquet of the Kioene Arena, in the men’s volleyball match which ended with the Emilians winning 3-1. A recent precedent that the biancoscudati fans hope remains confined to volleyball. Once the Christmas atmosphere is over, in fact, it is time for Andreoletti’s team to return to the (football) field: visiting Euganeo today at 5.15pm will be Modena, fresh from the defeat against Monza in the last match of 2025, while the repair market remains in the background. Padova is called to give continuity to the good performance of Palermo, even though it ended with a defeat, and to look for that home victory that has been missing for over three months now.
The comparison
The match between Padua and Modena is part of a tradition of great balance, as the historical numbers of the match show. The Emilians are in fact the opponent against whom Padova has collected the most draws in Serie BKT: 19, compared to 11 biancoscudati successes and 14 victories for Modena. A balance that is also reflected in the home performance of the Venetians this season, with five draws in the first eight home games (one win and two defeats), a figure exceeded only on two occasions in the first nine home games of the championship, in 1964/65 and 1966/67.
The moment of the two teams, however, tells different stories. Modena arrives at the Euganeo after having lost four of the last five Serie BKT matches, as many defeats as they had suffered in the previous 18 overall matches, and risks running into three consecutive defeats, an event that has not occurred since the period February-March 2023. At the same time, however, the Emilians showed solidity away from home in the last outing, keeping a clean sheet in Spezia, and could hit two consecutive away clean sheets for the first time since November-December 2024.
Pay particular attention to the final stages of the match: Modena is the team that has scored the most goals in the last 30 minutes of play in this championship (14) and in the second half alone they scored 18 goals, a record shared with Catanzaro. Padova, for its part, can count on one of the most reliable defenses between the posts, with Alessandro Sorrentino third among goalkeepers in the BKT Series for percentage of shots saved (79%), behind only Palmisani and Joronen.
On the individual front, the spotlight is on former player Ettore Gliozzi, who has already scored nine goals this season: only once, in 2022/23 with Pisa, has the attacker done better in a single cadet championship. No disqualification to report for both teams, while Modena’s players are within a booking of a booking including Di Mariano and Zampano, a detail that could have an impact on the management of the match.
The words of the day before
On the eve of Padova-Modena, Matteo Andreoletti talks about the restart as a “new beginning” in the name of continuity, but with a precise awareness: «Unfortunately for us everything is reset a bit». The coach ideally links the end of 2025 to the “Renzo Barbera” and the start of the new year at the Euganeo, reconstructing the meaning of the biancoscudata season: «2025 was a spectacular year: the first part culminated with a success that the city, the square, the fans had been waiting for for a long time; and a second part of the apprenticeship in the Serie B championship, both on my part and on the part of many kids.” An apprenticeship that made the measurement of the category clearer: «We are well aware of the difficulties of this category. We know that at the moment we occupy an excellent position in the standings, but we also know that it is something very precarious, because it doesn’t take much in this championship to go from riches to rags. We have to try to stay out of it as much as possible.”
The positive aspect, for Andreoletti, is that this restart comes with more options and more choices: «We get back more than one player and this is a very positive thing: Lasagna will be there, we get Pastina and Jonathan Silva back. Barreca had some problems during the week, but he recovered, there’s nothing serious: so I’m very, very satisfied.” But the coach doesn’t want Palermo’s good performance to become a comfort zone: «It was certainly a well done match, but we absolutely must not be satisfied with the performance. Padova needs points.” And he also indicates the main direction: «We absolutely have to start again from scoring points, especially at home».
On tactical work, Andreoletti precisely identifies what is missing to raise the bar: «We absolutely must increase offensive production, we know it: this is a very important point». But he places a non-negotiable condition on that growth: “It must never compromise the aspect of balance.” His photograph of Padova, at this stage, is clear: «Today we have an identity: a practical team, which has managed to stay in the game with practically everyone, and this is very positive». From here, the objective becomes improving without distorting ourselves: «If there is something we must improve on, it is absolutely offensive production, which will then also determine the scoring aspect, but we must grow without losing our identity».
Modena is described as a first-tier opponent, beyond the recent decline in results: «It is a team that has absolute values, built to play a top championship, well trained, with a very important coach for this category». And Andreoletti has no doubts about the potential: «Given the numbers he has, Serie A will certainly be played: this is the most important aspect». The recent difficulties, in his reading, have more to do with the distance between production and harvest: “In the last period they have harvested less than they produced and I think this is the motivation for the latest results.” Then he goes into detail: «It’s a team that manages to concede little, especially away from home they have the best defense. She is very dangerous: among the best for crosses, among the best for shots on goal, for presence in the area. The numbers are impressive and are never coincidences after so many matches.” Hence the summary: «A complicated match awaits us, and at the same time I think that Padova has the tools to play a good match and to worry such an important team».
On the possible advantage of facing a Modena team fresh from negative results, Andreoletti reverses the assumption: «I always prefer to face teams that come from positive streaks than from negative results, especially when they have this quality». And he explains why: «It is an expert, top-class team, with strong players. I don’t think it’s an advantage to face Modena due to the not too positive run they’ve had, because they’re not a naive team: they know their value and will want to start racing again.” Padova, however, does not want to be found “yielding”: «You will not find a team that will yield. He will find a Padova team that has quality and a great desire to resume a path at home which objectively must be different.” And here comes a key point: «We cannot think of drawing often and winning little at home: it is an aspect, in addition to offensive production, on which we must grow».
Among the training topics, the management of Barreca remains open: «If he doesn’t exist, we’re missing a left-handed player because we don’t even have Favale and we’d have to invent something». The decision will be made after finishing: «We will evaluate it today: we have training in the afternoon and based on that I will make the best choice». Even in midfield, the main doubt concerns characteristics and management of moments: «The biggest doubt is Harder-Crisetig». Andreoletti explains that it is not just a question of condition, but of profile: «They are diametrically opposed players: a midfield “surveyor” like Lorenzo, orderly and tactical; on the other, a player of great intensity.” And the choice depends on the script he imagines: «Evaluate whether the match requires more balance and intensity in the running or vice versa start strong and give maximum intensity, especially in the midfield department, which is a nerve center».
On individual situations, Andreoletti reassures Bortolussi: «Worried? No. Mattia’s performances are always extraordinary.” And he explains what would really alarm him: «I would worry if I saw him a little ‘tarnished’, less lucid, less brilliant for the availability he gives to the team». The presence of an offensive partner like Lasagna can have an impact: «Having an attacker alongside like Lasagna… worries the defenders more», but the theme remains collective: «We need to increase offensive production without losing balance». On the transfer market, he confirms the line: «I respect the roles so much… there are people delegated to make the transfer market who will evaluate what this team needs». And he closes with a summary sentence: «I limit myself to training the players and making them perform at their best».
Finally, on the goalkeeping department, Andreoletti reiterates the concept already expressed: «We have two starting goalkeepers, almost three… this makes me very calm». And he specifies the current situation: «It’s true that the year starts again and we evaluate, but at the moment Sorrentino is starting from the advantage». And on Pastina, he responds without sugarcoating: «He’s a player who arrived after two years of inactivity, he had problems and relapses… we probably did something wrong along the way». Now, however, the path is clear: «He is physically well, he has been working with us for a week, but the big problem today is the playing time… I have to try to win the matches». The confidence remains: «We are talking about a strong, left-footed player with great qualities. It has never been seen here… but I am convinced that Pastina can be an important player in Padova’s future.”
CALLED LIST
GOALKEEPERS: Fortin, Mouquet, Sorrentino
DEFENDERS: Barreca, Belli, Pastina, Faedo, Ghiglione, Perrotta, Sgarbi, Villa
MIDFIELDER: Baselli, Capelli, Crisetig, Harder, Fusi, Silva, Di Maggio, Varas
ATTACKERS: Bortolussi, Buonaiuto, Gomez, Seghetti, Lasagna
Not Available: Bacci, Favale
PROBABLE LINEUPS (“Euganeo” Stadium, Padua, 5.15 pm)
PADOVA (3-5-2): Sorrentino; Faedo, Sgarbi, Perrotta; Ghiglione, Varas, Harder, Fusi, Capelli; Gomez, Bortolussi. All. Andreoletti
Modena (3-5-2): Chichizola; Tonoli, Adorni, Nieling; Zanimacchia, Santoro, Gerli, Sersanti, Zampano; Massolin, Gliozzi. Thin Aluminum
Referee Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi (Livorno section). Assistants: Cortese and El Filali. 4th officer: Collu. At Var there will be Monaldi from the Macerata section, Avar entrusted to Paganessi from the Bergamo section. (Live on DAZN TV, “La B Channel”)
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