The coach behind the historic promotion to Serie A: “Today’s team is a good one. They need to maintain this consistency, and they have plenty of strong forwards”
Twenty-three years have passed since the ‘Longobarda’ days—a whole generation. Today, Modena looks at its team and feels younger. Andrea Sottil is in the lead after a start identical to that of Gianni De Biasi, who arrived on a high following promotion to Serie B and went straight to Serie A. Same number of wins, draws, losses, and goals allowed: the only difference is in goals scored, with the explosive attack of 2001-02 having three more (22 to 19) than the current one. Will it end the same way? De Biasi watches from afar, studies the situation, and lends himself to the comparison. And he feels young again too.
Have you seen this Modena team?
“Several times on TV, never live. I’ll go soon, I promise.”
What’s your impression?
“It’s a good team. They need to maintain this consistency, and they have many strong forwards: their rotation will be key. Chichizola is a sure thing; he didn’t win championships by chance: he’s 35, but I had Ballotta…“.
Sottil plays a 3-5-2, while you played a 3-4-1-2. Not much difference…
”Two teams in the same league, fairly young, that are similar. We played that way because everyone else was using a 4-4-2: that way we created numerical superiority by bringing up one of the center backs—what they call wing-backs today.“
You had an attacking midfielder.
”Rubens Pasino was good at finding space in the attacking third, providing assists, and opening up play for the wingers who pushed forward a lot. Today, Modena might have less creativity, but they’re very organized, solid, and make the most of their individual talents.”
Any other differences?
“The opponents. We faced Preziosi’s Como, who finished first, then Napoli, Cagliari, Genoa, and Sampdoria—teams that played top-tier soccer.”
When did you realize you could get promoted to Serie A?
“The 4-1 win over Napoli on Matchday 3, in the evening—our third straight victory: great soccer and beautiful goals. The team had character.“
Your first loss came on the 11th matchday; the current Modena team lost on the 10th in the derby at Reggio.
”Against Empoli, a goal by Di Natale: a cursed match, it was drizzling. The loss to Reggiana, on the other hand, really made me angry…“
Why?
”Because there’s a latent pessimism in Modena. It was the same with us, even though we’d won Serie C. After the derby, I heard fans expressing their bitterness: I understand they cared about the match against Reggiana, but negativity doesn’t help.”
May 12, 2002, a 0-0 draw at Genoa and Modena in Serie A.
“The draw suited everyone. That day, the nickname ‘Longobarda’ became public: watching Lino Banfi’s film on the bus had become a ritual.”
What nickname could Modena have today? “I don’t know, they’ll have to come up with one. But ‘Yellow Tank’ fits.”
When you were there, Modena went from Montagnani to Amadei; today there’s Rivetti.
“All important figures. I’ve met Rivetti; he’s very sharp and competent. He’s surrounded himself with capable staff—that’s been his greatest strength.“
Then as now, Modena trains on the small field behind the bleachers. But at least a sports center is finally being built…
”Oh yes, it’s essential in modern soccer. You can’t work in those conditions anymore. Besides, that field is maintained properly now: back in our day, wet or dry, it was always fine.“
In recent days, he was in Palermo for the club’s 125th anniversary.
”I’ll be very happy if Modena and Palermo make it to Serie A, also for my friend Carlo Osti.”
