Preview: Reggina-Arezzo

By: Dan | August 8th, 2009

The first test of the new-look Reggina under coach Walter Novellino comes tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon against Arezzo at the Granillo.

Despite the contest being only a Coppa Italia match, Novellino feels he owes it to the fans to perform well in their first match. We will see a fully loaded starting 11, whereas in the past it seems like the Coppa was just an outlet to play reserves and young up and comers.

There could be a surprise with Emmanuel Cascione, commonly a midfielder, set to play in the center of defense. Novellino has said that young Vincenzo Camilleri is not ready to play yet, while Santos and Andrea Costa are still recovering from injuries. There could be a signing this week to reinforce the thin defense. Juventus starlet Lorenzo Ariaudo is the number one target, while Genoa’s Danish defender Magnus Troest only needs to agree to the move. Should we get one of these players, Carlos Valdez could be on his way out to Cagliari.

The midfield will be without Emil Hallfredsson, who Novellino claims is out with a physical problem, although it’s widely known that the only thing keeping him from a move to England this second is his John Hancock on a contract. We will see the highly anticipated duo of Carlos Carmona and Sergio Volpi in central midfield, with Under-21 Azzurri midfielder Antonino Barilla playing on the left and Antonio Busce on the right. The status of Alessio Sestu is still unknown. Novellino also confirmed that he didn’t know anything about Sestu.

Starting in attack will be the debut of Serie B’s most lethal strike partnership: Emiliano Bonazzoli and Franco Brienza. Speaking of Brienza, the new shirt numbers are out and he will be wearing #99. My current adult rec league shirt is #81 after his old number… i might have to switch now. Here is the full list of numbers:

1. CASSANO MARIO
2. ADEJO DANIEL
3. COSTA ANDREA
4. VOLPI SERGIO
6. CAMILLERI VINCENZO
7. PAGANO BIAGIO
8. JOELSON INACIO
9. BONAZZOLI EMILIANO
14. CARMONA TELLO CARLOS EMILIO
16 VALDEZ CARLOS
17. BARILLA ANTONINO
20. VIOLA ALESSIO
21. VIOLA NICOLAS
22. CASCIONE EMMANUEL
23. RIZZATO SIMONE
24. BUSCE ANTONIO
26. MARINO PIETRO
33. PINTO DOS SANTOS GLEISON
44. KOVACSIK ADAM
55. LANZARO MAURIZIO
70. MISSIROLI SIMONE
77. CERAVOLO FABIO GIOVANNI
79. HALLFREDSSON EMIL*
91. RIZZO GIUSEPPE
99. BRIENZA FRANCO

And the probable formation against Arezzo tomorrow:

(4-4-2): Cassano; Lanzaro, Valdez, Cascione, Rizzato; Busce, Carmona, Volpi, Barilla; Bonazzoli, Brienza

And the 18 that have been summoned by Novellino:
GK: Cassano, Marino
DF: Adejo, Busce, Cascione, Lanzaro, Rizzato, Valdez
MF: Barillà, Carmona, Missiroli, Viola N., Volpi
FW: Bonazzoli, Brienza, Ceravolo, Joelson, Viola A.