FCS Protocol: The last few days have really been that exciting

We set out to find out what happened behind the scenes before and after the games so that Poluzzi, Tait & Co. are always in top shape and ready to the minute.

Thursday, May 25th: 38 days have passed since the 19th and final championship game on Friday, May 6th in Modena. The 1-2 defeat has long been forgotten. The focus is on the all-or-nothing game in the play-off preliminary round against Reggina on Friday, May 26th in the Drususstadion in Bolzano. At 9.30 a.m. the players arrive at the training center in Rungg from their homes in St. Pauls, Bozen, Kaltern and Tramin. They go to the gym to activate their muscles and create body tension. The three physiotherapists Gabriele Vanzetta, Luca Franzoi and Elia Moretto also have their hands full.

Coach Pierpaolo Bisoli has scheduled training for 11 a.m. He discusses the plan with assistant coach Leandro Greco, the two fitness trainers Danilo Chiodi and Andrea Arpili are also there, as well as club doctor Marco Cassago. After the 90-minute training there is lunch, which is coordinated in consultation with Arpili - he is also a nutritionist - and Cassago. There is white rice and pasta, with chicken breast and vegetables, and for dessert, linzer slices (crostata) and fruit. The food is prepared by club chef Gabriella. Bisoli gives his players the afternoon and evening off.

The atmosphere in the Drusus Stadium was fantastic. © Paolo Savio

Friday, May 26th: It's game day, but the FCS coach still asks the players to train: it starts at 11.30:10 a.m. and all players are on site from 14 a.m. After lunch, players and coaches - all in their private cars, which is unique in Italian professional football - move to the Sheraton Hotel in Bolzano. There the players move into a double room as “day use” from 17 p.m. to 18.30 p.m. This is followed by a relaxed walk around the hotel, then there is a final refreshment at the buffet. There is pasta, most players prefer to eat toast and bresaola. Departure to the stadium will take place at 19:XNUMX p.m. and the team meeting will take place in the dressing room at XNUMX p.m. Bisoli is not a new generation so-called “laptop” trainer. He gets his players excited with emotional speeches. All injured players are also on board.

After the game, ice cream barrels will be available in the dressing room. While Bisoli and captain Fabian Tait have to go to the TV interviews and the press conference, the others have to keep their emotions down. Those who didn't play will complete a short training session in the Drusus Stadium. Afterwards - it's 23.15 p.m. - all players move to the VIP club in the EURAC, where they can recharge their energy reserves again. There is carpaccio as the main course in a specially cordoned off room. Meanwhile, advance sales for the Bari home game on Whit Monday are in full swing at 7 ticket offices. The club sells more than 1000 tickets within an hour.

Celebrations from Mirko Caretta (left) and Giacomo Poluzzi. © Alfred Tschager

Saturday, May 27th: To speed up regeneration, the players visit the Move Different cryostudio in Bolzano in the early morning. In so-called cold therapy, temperatures in an “ice sauna” range from minus 30 to minus 120 degrees. The meeting point is in Rungg at 10 a.m. and training at 11 a.m. The 1-0 win against Reggina is history, coach Bisoli and the players have long had their sights set on the home game against Bari. After lunch at the FCS Center with fish as the main course, Saturday afternoon is free.

Whitsun Sunday, May 28th: The morning is also free, but the players can't take a deep breath because in the afternoon there is another meeting point at 16 p.m. and training at 17 p.m. Afterwards there is fruit and Linzer slices.

Whit Monday, May 29th: It's the same program as the game against Reggina: the players are in the FCS Center at 10 a.m. and training starts at 11.30:XNUMX a.m. After lunch with the usual menu, the FCS entourage does not move to the Sheraton Hotel - the Bari professionals are already staying there - but to the Magdalener Hof in Rentsch. There, too, the players move into a room for a few hours to rest. Then private cars drive across the city center to the Drusus Stadium, where there is plenty of parking space for the players. After Matteo Rover's last-minute goal, we go back to the VIP club for a late dinner. The players are home shortly after midnight.

Tuesday, May 30th: Once again there is cold therapy in the early morning, training at 11 a.m., dinner with cook Gabriella at 13 p.m., and the players have the afternoon off. Coach Bisoli decides that the team will fly to Bari on a charter flight on Thursday and not on the match day. Team manager Emiliano Bertoluzza is once again in full demand.

Coach Pierpaolo Bisoli leaves nothing to chance.

Wednesday, May 31st: There is a lot of activity in the FCS Center, but no excitement. It revolves around the question: What if FC Südtirol advances and advances to the play-off final? Managing director Dietmar Pfeifer: “It would be fatal to only deal with this on Friday evening after the Bari game. We want to be prepared when it comes to advance ticket sales and organization. This has nothing to do with arrogance, but is a question of planning. The sooner we are clear about the procedures, the better.” The professionals have the morning off, training starts at 17 p.m.

Thursday, June 1st: Today, after the press conference with Bisoli at 13.30:15 p.m., there will be another training session at the FCS Center at around 19.30 p.m., then there will be dinner. After a short-term program change, the SkyAlps plane will only take off from Bolzano Airport to Bari at 90:XNUMX p.m. After a XNUMX-minute flight, the FCS takes up residence at the Hotel Parco dei Principi. While the players boarded the plane with minimal luggage, equipment attendants Antonio Greco, Stefano Giacomel and Valerio Marini brought a huge amount of training and game equipment, medical and physiotherapy equipment through check-in.

Friday, June 2st: In the morning, coach Bisoli asks his protégés to train again and gets them ready for another final. 50.000 spectators are waiting in the San Nicola. But the FCS is ready! The return flight on Saturday, June 3rd at 15.40:17.20 p.m. landing in Bolzano at XNUMX:XNUMX p.m. is still a long way away.

Serie B Italy	SP	TV	P
1. Step on	8	17:9	19
2. Specia	8	12:7	16
3. Sassuolo	8	14:8	15
4. Juventus Stabia	8	9:8	14
5. Brescia	7	11:8	12
6. Palermo	7	8:6	11
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FCS Protocol: The last few days have really been that exciting

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