Dietmar Pfeifer about his future and that of FC Südtirol

FC Südtirol starts the Serie A promotion round on Friday, something unimaginable at the start of the season. Nevertheless, there is now a bit of disappointment after missing a direct entry into the semi-finals, or is there? “Immediately after a defeat you are always disappointed, that's logical. But we have to look at the season as a whole. The fact is: After 38 match days, FC Südtirol ended up in 6th place in its first Serie B year, which is an outstanding result. We are in the playoffs, have a home game in the first round and a full stadium. There really is no place for disappointment here.”

What are the chances for FC Südtirol in the playoffs? “We must not change our approach. You have to think from game to game, like we always did. The only thing that counts for us now is the match against Reggina. The opponent has twice the budget of FC Südtirol. But we have seen that this is not the deciding factor. We play at home, that's a big advantage, we feel comfortable in the Drususstadion. We know that we will have a maximum of 5 games in the playoffs. But we also know that if we lose on Friday, everything will be over.”

Is Serie A still a realistic goal now? Or maybe she never was? “We work every day to achieve the greatest possible result. We want the maximum – and the maximum in the playoffs is Serie A. That’s what we’re working towards and we certainly won’t take a step back now.”

Pierpaolo Bisoli and Reggina coach Filippo Inzaghi. © DLife/LO

Reggina lost 12 of 19 games in the second half of the season and superstar Jeremy Menez is suspended. Friday's task doesn't seem unsolvable... “Reggina has a high-quality squad and a great coach. They had problems in the second half of the season, that's true. But they have recovered recently, the late goal in the last championship game against Ascoli, which secured Reggina's place in the playoffs, once again triggered huge hype. The enthusiasm in the Reggina fan scene is huge. Nevertheless: It is a solvable task. We already beat Reggina in the Drususstadion in Bolzano this year.”

A draw after 120 minutes is enough to advance... “Yes, but we can’t play for an equalizer for two hours plus injury time. That would be a big mistake. The fact that a draw after extra time is enough for us to reach the semi-finals is a positive side effect. But speculating on a draw is far too dangerous. We have to go into the match as we always do, bring our stability to the pitch, stay compact and take advantage of our chances at the front.”

The defense boss: Andrea Masiello © Alfred Tschager

Bari is waiting in the semi-finals. If FCS were to win over Reggina, the vexed topic of defense chief Andrea Masiello's deployment against his former club would flare up again. Will he not play again in a possible semi-final duel against Bari, or will he play this time? “This topic was not discussed, also because our focus is entirely on Reggina. There is no point in talking about a semi-final that we have yet to reach. If we advance against Reggina, then we will see what decisions the coaching staff makes.”

You have been with FC Südtirol since 2006. Back then, the opponents were – with all due respect – Carpenedolo, Nuorese, Montichiari or Valenzana. Now the playoff rivals are Bari, Cagliari, Parma, Venezia and Reggina. How proud are you that the FCS is now mentioned in the same breath as such teams? “Of course that makes me extremely proud. I have experienced all the ups and downs of FC Südtirol first hand since 2006. The fact that we have now reached this level is associated with great emotions. But we also have to be aware that this championship represents something extraordinary. It's not normal for FC Südtirol to be in the playoffs. We have the third lowest budget in Serie B. By reaching the Serie A promotion round, the FCS not only climbed a new level this season, but also took three levels at once. As a club we have to stabilize ourselves so that we can continue to play at this level in the long term. This applies to FC Südtirol as a whole. You only ever see the first team that does an outstanding job and has sparked a real football fever in South Tyrol; fan clubs are forming all over the country. That makes me very happy. But I'm also pleased that the women made it up. We will also increase investment in the youth sector. FC Südtirol is much more than just the professional team.”

With relegation, coach Pierpaolo Bisoli's contract was automatically extended for another year. Can we say today that the FCS will definitely start the next season with Bisoli? “Nothing is certain in football. But I assume that Coach Bisoli will still be there next season. He is the type of coach who absolutely fits the club.”

And what does Dietmar Pfeifer do? “I’ll definitely still be there next season. In autumn 2021, the board of directors was elected for 3 years, and the office of managing director is linked to this. So I still have a contract.”

Serie B Italy	SP	TV	P
1. Sassuolo	22	50:23	52
2. Step on	22	38:19	47
3. Specia	21	30:14	39
4. Cremonese	22	32:22	36
5. Palermo	22	23:19	30
6. Juventus Stabia	22	23:25	30
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Dietmar Pfeifer about his future and that of FC Südtirol

Before the start of the playoffs, FC Südtirol's managing director, Dietmar Pfeifer, is very clear: It's not just about being there. “We want the maximum – and the maximum in the playoffs is Serie A,” he says. But that's not enough.

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