Modena

vs

AC Reggiana 1919

Preview

Modena

• With two Serie B rounds remaining, Modena sit 6th with 52 points, hanging onto their playoff spot by a thread and needing to maintain their current position to secure home field advantage.
• The visit of AC Reggiana 1919 could be crucial for both sides’ ambitions as victory for the home team would nearly secure their place in the play-offs, while a positive result for the visitors could be vital to their survival hopes.
• Andrea Sottil has built his career on a pragmatic 3-5-2 that is intense and direct, high-pressing, with wing-backs that play high up and lots of vertical ball movement.
• Rotating his defense and the uncertainty in goal have caused instability at the back, while the end product has dried up for a once-creative midfield of Pedro Mendes and Francesco Gerli.
• Attackers Giuseppe Ambrosino and Manuel De Luca have been the main outlets, but neither has been efficient in front of goal of late.

Reggiana

• The addition of Pierpaolo Bisoli in March has brought more experience to Reggiana’s dugout and an extra layer of organisation and mental toughness to the team.
• In their most recent outing, they gained a crucial point at home to Palermo.
• Reggiana are a compact, pragmatic unit who are happy to absorb pressure and strike on the counter or via set pieces when they can.
• Andrea Papetti is a good anchor for them in defence, but injuries to Rozzio, Quaranta and Stulac have limited Bisoli’s options in that area.
• Manolo Portanova is the creative hub of the team, driving attacks and making it a fast-paced contest from the first whistle, and he will look to link up with forwards Andrija Novakovich, Cedric Gondo and Mathis Lambourde, who scored in the recent draw with Palermo.

Head-to-Head

• Reggiana are in a precarious position above the relegation zone, needing results to escape the bottom three.
• Reggiana have the edge in the last ten head-to-head matchups in all competitions, and most Emilia derbies have been decided by a single goal.

Key Players

• Attackers Giuseppe Ambrosino and Manuel De Luca have been the main outlets, but neither has been efficient in front of goal of late.
• The end product has dried up for a once-creative midfield of Pedro Mendes and Francesco Gerli.
• Manolo Portanova will look to link up with forwards Andrija Novakovich, Cedric Gondo and Mathis Lambourde, who scored in the recent draw with Palermo.

Betting Insights

• Modena are the bookies’ choice for this derby, with the home side listed at 1.64 to take the three points in this matchup, Reggiana are 5.13 outsiders, while the tie is priced at 3.8.
• The bookies don’t expect many goals here, with Under 2.5 at 1.81 reflecting the history of this clash, which is usually a tense game.
• Modena have won key home games in the recent history of this fixture, but Reggiana have snatched narrow victories in their most recent trips to the Braglia.

Prediction