The victory obtained in Reggo Emilia warmed the hearts of the fans, after a winter that lasted over two months – the last success was against Udine last November 9th in Desio – with nine consecutive defeats. Now it is certainly a little early to say whether Cantù is fully recovered, certainly a single match cannot be enough to declare the full recovery of the “patient”. Now come three tests that will put Cantù up against three opponents with different performances: a high-ranking team, an average one and one that can be considered a direct competitor.
The first hurdle will be on Saturday evening at the PalaFitLine in Desio, when the match against Reyer Venezia will be staged at 8pm. Not a small home debut for Walter De Raffaele who, on the Venice bench, wrote the most beautiful pages in the history of the lagoon club, with the victory of two championships, a Europe Cup and an Italian Cup. Beyond the understandable emotions of reuniting with her former team, the strength of Reyer, who is fighting at the top of the table, must be underlined above all. On Sunday she rested in the league, but tomorrow she will be involved in the EuroCup against Slovenian Union Olimpija. A complicated match for Cantù, but one that could help the season take off.
Another exam, perhaps even more important, will be the next one, away on the Cremona pitch. The match on Saturday 7 February, in the common perception, will be a direct clash, even if Cremona has 14 points. But in Desio, in the first leg, Cantù won and therefore there is the idea that it is an affordable match on paper.
The third match will be at home against Trento on Sunday 15th. A team with great potential, but which is experiencing a fluctuating season: in the collective imagination it is more highly rated than Cremona, but less than Venice.
Three truth challenges for Cantù, before the long break for the Final Eight of the Italian Cup and the subsequent Fiba window for the national teams, which will only turn the spotlight on the championship again on 8 March.
Worth a look
