Once the holidays are over, Spezia resumes playing tomorrow. The match in Bolzano against Sudtirol is in the sights, the last match of the first round and another delicate challenge for survival: it will be played on 10 January at the “Druso” stadium where Spezia, in addition to suffering a certain dose of the South Tyrolean cold, will also have to make up for a heavy absence, that of Pippo Bandinelli. The medical staff evaluates the former Empoli captain for a return, albeit partial, in the first home match of the new year, the following week against Avellino. But it is a situation to be evaluated day by day.
With Bandinelli out and Salvatore Esposito now destined for Sampdoria (between expensive loan, obligation to buy and various bonuses a figure that is just over 2 million), the midfield will be in full emergency: Donadoni will have to invent something for the next match unless the club manages to close the operation that should bring him to the white shirt Hernani Azevedo JuniorParma midfielder out of Mister Cuesta’s plans and leaving the ducal club. The managers talked about it at length at the turn of the year and the negotiation for the class of ’94 has a fair chance of closing positively. But it is not yet time to consider it done (there are non-trivial options at home for the director from São Gonçalo do Sapucaí), unlike the one that will bring the goalkeeper to Donadoni’s court Radunovicthe first real reinforcement of the eagle winter transfer market: the Belgrade goalkeeper was called up by Mister Pisacane for this evening’s match between Cagliari and Milan which should be Radunovic’s last commitment with the Sardinians before taking a plane to undergo the medical examinations, sign the new contract and make himself available to Spezia. Something that could happen by Sunday, at the latest early next week.
The January transfer window is a special period for everyone: for the players who have to leave, for those who have to arrive but also for the team group that remains and must reorganize. And then there’s Donadoni who in the last press conference of 2025 still didn’t tear his hair out at the specific question: “I’m vaccinated to these things, I know how the transfer market works. I want to say that whoever arrives and whoever decides to stay here has the certainty and conviction that wearing this shirt has a certain weight.” Esposito towards Sampdoria e Andrea Cistana now scheduled to go to Puglia, destination Bari, strongly desired by Mr. Vivarini: as for Esposito, if the negotiation closes between tonight and tomorrow, even in the absence of signatures, the player will not even go to Follo during the second half except to empty his locker and join his new clubs.
Then there is the negotiation to get to Pedro Mendes who will return to Italy on Saturday after holidays in Portugal while for Cesena Adamo it’s a little longer but the basics are there. The alternative is Sernicola which however has many suitors. Among the central attackers in the squad, which would become decidedly too many in the event of Mendes’ arrival, Edoardo Soleri can go out while Verde e Lapadula they will be evaluated if there are offers. But Donadoni above all wants to vary the characteristics of the players and to do so this squad needs at least one attacking winger (but he would need two men, one on each wing) who can allow him to vary the tactical device and propose a 4-3-3. For this reason too, the ideal would be to be able to count on at least the home match against Avellino. Quickly and well if possible, but if it’s not possible the important thing is not to make mistakes or to do it as little as possible because everyone will try to strengthen themselves but only three will have to say goodbye to the category at the end of spring.
