Robur to March into survival

“Our fate, however, always depends on ourselves,” the words of Guiseppe Sannino as he prepares Siena for yet another relegation struggle.

With only twelve games remaining on this year’s Serie A calendar, the month of March is going to be a decisive one for the Robur. While Cesena and Novara look good and buried, as well as resigned, to dropping back down into Serie B, Siena are sitting on a knife’s edge as they are only four points above Lecce- who occupy the dreaded and final spot of the drop zone.
Whilst every game from now until May 13 should be crucial in order to secure Serie A salvation, Sannino’s men are practically staring safety right in the face as they look to continue steamrolling sides, like they so famously did to Palermo and Cagliari in their previous two games.

The match against Chievo on March 25, will round off a sequence of games in which the Tuscans are undoubtedly capable enough in mustering up some points, if not all nine.

Cesena, lead by their former coach, Mario Beretta, Novara and Chievo are the three tests which await the Bianconeri in their climatic month.

A trip to the Stadio Dino Manuzzi in Emilia-Romagna and one to Shakespeare-inspired city of Verona will prove to be the toughest of the lot as Siena’s away form is far from anything worth bragging about. Tallying up a lowly total of just five points on the road- lower than any other team competing against relegation- Siena will have to play their cards correctly in hope of avoiding having to face Udinese, Lazio, Inter, Milan, Atalanta and Napoli in a desperate state for points.

“Humility, in fact, must accompany us forever. We will fight until the last minute, for this team, and for this city,” noted the debuting Serie A tactician.

The first two teams can be considered as already having one foot in the Serie B door; therefore, allowing Siena to approach their adversaries without fear, with a positive attitude and with the belief that victory is just as probable as finding a prosciutto crudo piadina at an autogrill.

However, an eye must be kept on the resurgent side of Serse Cosmi’s Lecce, who has often proved to be capable of making a surprise blitz when away from the Via del Mare. Although, this weekend’s travels for the Salentini, could fall in favour of the Artemio Franchi outfit: as a trip to the historic San Siro without their coach Cosmi and three players, will leave Lecce’s legs quaking more than Mount Edna.

While Siena hope that their Serie A counterparts Milan will do them a favour, a win against Cesena will provide them with the perfect stepping stone towards safety.

"These games are often the most difficult,” noted the Bianconero captain Vergassola.

If I were them [Cesena] I would never give up, because there are still many matches and many points available.”

Should they fail to get maximum points or even six out of the nine, the relegation battle may be forced to go down to the wire- a risk the 2006 and 2008 Serie A survivors are not willing to take.

 Outside of the month of March, five of the nine teams- in which they are set to face- all sit in the top half of the table; therefore, making maximum points from every tie in March even more crucial. And should Siena be as successful in getting the points, as the people of the medieval town are in making Cantuccini, Sannino’s group will fall just two points shy of the 40 points; generally considered as the safety zone. 

So while survival of the fittest may be well in reach of the Tuscans, a big test will also come in when they have to face Napoli in the second leg of the Coppa Italia. Carrying a 2-1 advantage into the second leg at the San Paolo, managing the Coppa and the trials and tribulations of domestic football at the same time, will prove to be the ultimate test of character for the Bianconeri. 

They will look to their mentor and motivator Sannino, for strength, encouragement and humility to play the game they know best in order to out run the pack of Lecce’s Wolves, to make March their magical moment.

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