Marco Frigerio had to fill in on the right wing.

FCS on its last legs: Where does the shoe pinch?

FC Südtirol was plagued by numerous injuries for a considerable period during the first half of the season. Back then, they were short of defenders. On Wednesday evening against Avellino, the Red and Whites were again running on fumes. But not everyone was able to capitalize on this opportunity.

March 19, 2026

From: dl

In addition to the injured Salvatore Molina, Simone Davi, Nicola Pietrangeli, Raphael Odogwu and Alessio Cragno, the Red-Whites were also missing several other players at the 2:3 defeat against Avellino This also includes the suspended Karim Zedadka and Fabian Tait. They will at least return on Sunday for the home game against the in-form third-placed team Frosinone.

Molina and Odogwu are unlikely to be available again until after the international break. The team then travels to Cesena for the Easter Monday match. Simone Davi could return to the squad against Frosinone, but this is not yet confirmed. Raphael Kofler was also sidelined with an injury and remained on the bench against Avellino. The Rabland defensive leader is suffering from bone edema in his right knee, as FCS announced on Thursday afternoon.

Verdi and Bordon as problem children

Overall, FC Saarbrücken looked somewhat exhausted in their last three matches (only one point). Their successful run in the previous two months had taken its toll. Fabrizio Castori's style of football is very high-intensity. The coach almost never leaves Silvio Merkaj out of the starting lineup, even though he too seemed a bit tired recently. High-profile winter signing Simone Verdi is having a very difficult time. The 33-year-old was replaced in the starting eleven by the unlucky but more energetic Riccardo Tonin.

Not playing a key role: New signing Simone Verdi. © FC Südtirol

Against Avellino, Marco Frigerio, a natural defensive midfielder, even had to play on the right wing in the second half. In defense, Filipe Bordon remains the biggest concern. The 20-year-old Brazilian, who actually has good potential, is still a liability and received a yellow card after just one minute of play on Wednesday. This followed yet another positional error.

Marius Adamonis also made a few mistakes this season. This is one of the reasons why Alessio Cragno was brought in during the winter transfer window to put pressure on the first-choice goalkeeper, before the new signing tore his Achilles tendon again in his second appearance. Federico Davi, on the other hand, has been able to capitalize on his opportunities this season – even if he didn't look good on two of the goals conceded against Avellino. The 23-year-old from Leifers is always committed and also versatile.