How good is the new FC Südtirol?

FC Südtirol is back in action this weekend. The white and reds have a home game ahead of them in their first game of the new year. We wanted to know from our readers in advance whether FCS will manage to stay in the league.

10 January 2025

From: dl

On January 3, FC Südtirol started training again. After a two-week league break, the home game against Catanzaro is scheduled for Sunday (15 p.m.). The Calabrians are in a playoff position and have only lost one of their last 14 games. Marco Pompetti, who was labelled as too weak during his time at FCS, is directing the action in midfield.

The FCS must be particularly careful of captain Pietro Iemmello, who leads the Serie B goal scorers list with 10 goals. FC Südtirol are missing Silvio Merkaj and Daniele Casiraghi due to yellow card suspensions. Raphael Odogwu and Matteo Rover will probably play up front. "I see Matteo primarily as an attacker," explained coach Fabrizio Castori at the press conference on Friday. Under his predecessors, Rover was mostly used on the wings.

Kicked out of the FCS, loved in Catanzaro: Marco Pompetti.

The FCS has brought in a total of 5 new players during the winter break. Eugenio Lamana and Marius Adamonis are supposed to put pressure on regular goalkeeper Giacomo Poluzzi and often relieve him. The experienced Albanian Frederic Veseli was brought in for central defense and the youngsters Niklas Pyythiä and Luca Belardinelli for central midfield. "They are all in good condition, but the game is different to training," explained Castori, who did not reveal his cards.

FCS under pressure

It will be interesting to see which of the new signings will be used. Jasmin Kurtic is fit to play again. That is why the FCS has almost an oversupply in midfield. In attack, however, there is a lack of alternatives. Hannes Fink is currently scouting abroad for a striker. The FCS is currently in a direct relegation spot. To avoid direct relegation, they would have to jump to 15th place. This is currently 5 points away. Places 16 and 17 are looking for the fourth relegated team in the play-offs.

In order to stay in Serie B for the fourth year in a row, FCS, led by sporting director Paolo Bravo, must make fewer mistakes in the second half of the season than in the first. Castori is already the third coach this season. The home game against Catanzaro will be extremely important - also to keep the mood high. The fact is: the task next Sunday against league leaders Sassuolo will be even more difficult on paper.

Serie B, 21th matchday:

Sunday:
Salernitana – Sassuolo (12.30)
Frosinone – Cremonese (15.00 p.m.)
Palermo – Modena
Spezia – Juve Stabia
Reggiana – Bari
FC South Tyrol – Catanzaro
Cosenza – Mantova
Cesena – Cittadella (17.15)
Brescia – Sampdoria (19.30)

Monday:
Pisa – Carrarese (20.30)

	SP	G	U	V	TV	P
1. Sassuolo	20	14	4	2	43:19	46
2. Step on	20	13	4	3	36:18	43
3. Specia	20	10	8	2	29:13	38
4. Cremonese	20	8	6	6	26:21	30
5. Juventus Stabia	20	7	8	5	22:23	29
6. Catanzaro	20	5	12	3	24:20	27
7. Baric	20	6	9	5	22:18	27
8. Carrarese	20	7	6	7	18:20	27
9. Modena	20	5	10	5	25:24	25
10. Cesena	20	7	4	9	27:28	25
11. Palermo	20	6	6	8	20:19	24
12. Reggiana	20	6	6	8	21:23	24
13. Brescia	20	5	8	7	24:27	23
14. Mantova	20	5	8	7	22:26	23
15. Cittadella	20	6	5	9	17:32	23
16. Sampdoria	20	4	8	8	23:30	20
17. Frosinone	20	4	8	8	17:27	20
18. Salernitana	20	4	6	10	19:29	18
19. FC South Tyrol	20	5	3	12	19:33	18
20. Cosenza	20	4	9	7	19:23	17