Bisoli: “FCS can stay in the league without any worries”

Pierpaolo Bisoli makes no secret of the fact that Cesena and FC Südtirol are two of his favorite clubs. "With Cesena, I was promoted to Serie A twice, and in South Tyrol, we wrote a football fairytale in our first season. You never forget something like that," enthused the 58-year-old football coach, who, despite his departure in December 2023, which wasn't without some fuss, still has fond memories of FC Südtirol.

"My time at FCS was great. I felt really comfortable in South Tyrol. Things didn't go as planned in my second year, but that's part of football," said the coach, who, after his dismissal at FC Südtirol, was on the sidelines in Modena and Brescia, but also had to leave early in those two seasons. "My last season wasn't good, I admit that. But now I'm eager to get going again," said Bisoli, who is awaiting a suitable offer from Serie B.

Bisoli knows what he's talking about That's why he follows Italy's second division very closely - and not just because his son Dimitri moved to Cesena in the summer after Brescia's elimination, where he had already played in the youth team when his father Pierpaolo Bisoli was coaching the professionals.

Pierpaolo Bisoli knows both clubs like the back of his hand.

"I think the spectators at the Drusus Stadium will see a great match. Cesena has a lot of quality in its ranks; it will be tough for FC Südtirol, but they certainly won't have to hide," said the former successful coach of the White and Reds. "In Serie B, there are three teams that are clearly above the rest: Monza, Venezia, and Palermo. In my opinion, Modena also has the prerequisites to be at the top until the end. All the other teams are similarly strong," analyzed Bisoli, who certainly expects FC Südtirol to have a relatively quiet championship run. "I think FCS can stay in the league without any problems," emphasized Bisoli.

"FC Südtirol can make life incredibly difficult for any opponent with their style of play. Furthermore, FCS has a very strong attacking department. I know the strikers, I know what I'm talking about," said the long-time Serie A player for Cagliari, Empoli, Perugia, and Brescia. "Silvio Merkaj is a player who gives himself completely for the team. He's a top attacker in Serie B. Raphael Odogwu was one of the best strikers in the league during my time at FCS. He's the difference-maker. Emanuele Pecorino has developed enormously," Bisoli praised coach Fabrizio Castori's attackers. "He's a veteran coach. His FCS plays with passion and intensity, and has strong character." Bisoli about Fabrizio Castori Bisoli also had high praise for fellow coach Castori. "It was a football miracle that Castori accomplished last season," said Bisoli. "He's a coaching veteran. His FCS plays with passion and intensity, and has strength of character. I'm all for a pragmatic approach to football. I think that's especially successful in Serie B. Filippo Inzaghi in Palermo, Modena, Venezia – they all play very pragmatic football," Bisoli said.

Looking back on his FCS adventure At FC Südtirol, a coach can "work well in a very positive environment." That would make many things easier. "When I came to FC Südtirol, we managed twelve consecutive games without defeat – and then we repeated that streak again. Something like that is only possible when the chemistry is right and concentration is maintained at a maximum. You don't get to the play-off semifinals and knock on the Serie A door by chance," Bisoli recalled. "We were a fantastic team. Our defense was a bulwark. We defended compactly and switched on quickly – those were our strengths. And I had a very strong team," Bisoli enthused, looking back on that magical 2022/23 season.

In recent weeks, Bisoli, who is currently in Cesenatico, has been in the stands at matches in Cesena, Mantua, Reggio Emilia, and La Spezia. Last Saturday, he skipped the trip to the stadium. "I was in front of the TV watching the match between Mantova and FC Südtirol," he revealed. "Poluzzi played a great game. Mantova put in a really strong performance this time, FC Südtirol struggled, there's no denying that," Bisoli said. He didn't want to attach any particular importance to the fact that FC Südtirol only had 16 percent possession in Mantua. He agrees with Castori in this regard: "Possession is completely irrelevant."

Serie B Italy	SP	TV	P
1. Modena	8	14:4	18
2. Palermo	8	10:4	16
3. Frosinone	8	13:8	14
4. Cesena	8	13:11	14
5.Monza	8	8:6	14
6. Venice	8	11:6	13
View all

Football

Italy

International leagues

International

Hockey

Tennis

Winter sports

Learn More

Motorsport

Cycling

Watersports

Favorites

Bisoli: “FCS can stay in the league without any worries”

Comments (0)