Modena, two nightmare months

From first place in the standings to the risk of finishing outside the playoff zone. In two months everything has changed for Modena. At the end of September, the gialloblù had taken the top spot in Serie B: 23 years after the last time, when Gianni De Biasi was on the bench and the captain was the eternal Marco Ballotta. In the city we were already starting to talk about the dream of promotion. Instead, at the end of the year, Sottil’s team seemed to have lost its way. There have been four defeats in the five most recent matches: Gliozzi and his teammates lost against all the big teams (Monza, Venezia, Catanzaro, Cesena). Just a draw, against league leaders Frosinone. Between November and December Modena achieved just two successes in matches against Juve Stabia and Spezia. Now the Emilian club is seventh at 29 points, +3 on Abate’s men who close the top of the table.

Wasted advantage

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The numbers are merciless. Until the ninth day of the championship, Modena was undefeated: the yellow-blues commanded Serie B with the most prolific attack and also the best defense. Sottil’s team seemed unstoppable, then something went wrong. Captain Gerli and the others finished the year in the worst possible way: two consecutive knockouts and just five points scored in the last seven games. The group is no longer able to manage the advantage and realize the opportunities, as happened in the most recent match against Monza. At the Braglia, the home team made a comeback: from 1-0 to 1-2. Gliozzi’s penalty was of no avail, in the second half Azzi and Ravanelli gave Bianco’s men the victory. “It’s our fault – said Mister Sottil at the end of the match – we’re not there, we have to work harder. We are the ones who have to determine the results, this is what we have to keep in mind.”

Restart

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Cesena was the one holding back Modena’s progress. Then it was Catanzaro’s turn to inflict their first home defeat on Sottil’s boys. Venice and Monza have made the path to the end of 2025 complicated. The yellow-blues will start again on January 11th from the Euganeo against Padova: the objective is to recover points to at least cling to the playoff zone. In the last three seasons the Emilian club has never managed to challenge for promotion, always finishing in mid-table and aiming for a quiet survival. This time the ambitions are different. Gliozzi is the second best scorer in Serie B with 9 goals, only Pohjanpalo did better, standing at 12. Massolin, on the other hand, is the new wildcard at the coach’s disposal: he runs, dribbles, sends his teammates towards goal. For President Rivetti “he is a Martian”. Modena will also need their plays to get back to the top.