Fabrizio Castori looks back on a game that is no ordinary one for him. © FCS/Bordoni

The FCS coach, his old love and a real estate purchase

On Saturday, FC Südtirol hosts Cesena at the Drusus Stadium. It's the game of the year for the FCS coach—but that has less to do with his club's precarious sporting situation than with an old love.

04 April 2025

From the FCS Center in Rungg/Eppan

Fabrizio Castori sits at the lectern in the media room of the FCS Center, his cell phone and a piece of paper with notes in front of him. It's Friday, 9.58:XNUMX a.m. The weekly press conference, in which the FC Südtirol coach looks ahead to the upcoming championship game, begins two minutes earlier than originally scheduled. Otherwise, it's "business as usual." Question, answer, question, answer—that's how the game works.

Castori talks about the bitter defeat from last weekend in Mantua. Not because he wants to, but because he's been asked about it. "Match analysis is much more pleasant after a win. But we also thoroughly reviewed the game against Mantova," Castori said somewhat grumpily.

Merkaj is missing, Praszelik is back

The 70-year-old football coach's face brightens considerably when he addresses the current personnel situation. "Praszelik is available again in midfield. Merkaj is suspended, but with Gori, Rover, and Vergani, I have three good options who can play alongside Odogwu. It's not yet clear who will start."

“I am at home in Cesena” Fabrizio Beavers

A look back at the last game, an attempt to get the starting lineup out of the coach – so far, the press conference is proceeding as usual for everyone involved. What's missing? Of course, a look ahead to the next opponent. And now, suddenly, nothing is as usual for Castori. At first, he reacts coolly: "Cesena is a strong opponent with great fans. A club that is a great identification factor, with a city, an entire region behind it. In terms of sport, things haven't been going quite so well recently (3 games without a win, editor's note), but Cesena is not in a playoff spot for nothing."

Fabrizio Castori enjoyed great success in Cesena and is still loved today at the Stadio Dino Manuzzi.

These sentences initially slip dryly from his lips, but then even the most experienced of all active Serie B coaches has to smile. "It would be a lie if I said this was a normal game." What Castori means by this: From 2003 to 2008, and again in the 2017/18 season, he was on the sidelines at Cesena. Under his leadership, the Romagna club played 254 competitive matches, and in the summer of 2004, he led the storied club back to Serie B.

Unforgettable by the opponent

Before, during, and after that, Castori managed countless other clubs, but Cesena is where he fell in love. He's actually from the Marche region, but "I've stuck with Romagna. That's where my house is, the one I bought back then. Cesena is my home," says the coach, his eyes shining. He shakes his head and adds: "But let's leave that for now; I don't want to say anything more. We have to focus on ourselves, on getting back on track as quickly as possible."

Whether this will succeed will be seen on Saturday (from 15 p.m. in the SportNews-Ticker) show when Castori meets his old love with the FCS in front of up to 5.000 spectators - many of them from Cesena.

The 32th matchday:

Friday April 4th
Reggiana – Cremonese (20.30 p.m.)

Saturday April 5th
FC Südtirol – Cesena (15 p.m.)
Brescia – Mantova (15 p.m.)
Cittadella – Carrarese (15 p.m.)
Frosinone – Cosenza (15 p.m.)
Pisa – Modena (17.15:XNUMX p.m.)
Juve Stabia – Salernitana (19.30 p.m.)

Sunday April 6th
Catanzaro – Bari (15 p.m.)
Palermo – Sassuolo (15 p.m.)
Spezia – Sampdoria (17.15:XNUMX p.m.)