Football Season Guide

All in all the past season was a good one for Spezia that for the third year in a row reached the playoffs having ended the regular season in 7th place, they defeated Cesena in the preliminary round, but then were knocked out by Trapani in the semi-finals...not bad for a team that for many years floated in the lower divisions, anyway for the money invested by the club owner should be about time to make the quantum leap. It was a season with many ups and downs, they began with Bjelica on the bench but after a long streak of negative results, was replaced by Di Carlo who did an excellent job and was obviously confirmed also this year. Unlike recent years marked by many (perhaps too many) purchases, the Ligurians this summer have made only a few changes, the market was mostly outbound with the intent to thin out a too cumbersome roster. Some big names left such as Calaiò and Catellani, replaced by younger players eager to emerge as Iemmello, who last season in Lega Pro scored 24 goals in 32 matches, and Under 21 international Piu, on loan from Empoli. Just this might be the strength of Spezia this year, a group of players who know each other well and know by heart the tactics of coach Di Carlo. Proof of this was given in Coppa Italia, where the eagles reached the fourth round by defeating Modena and especially Udinese at the Dacia Arena.