There is a cup to defend for Apu Old Wild West. The black and white team is on stage today in Desio for the dry quarter-final against Cantù, Antonutti and his associates show up for the appointment as holders and want to trip up the team in the best form of the entire A2 series.
REASONS
The victory against Ferrara in the championship and the events in the transfer market have helped to calm the waters at Udinese, but tonight there is already another important crossroads. Not only for the trophy (which is certainly not the first objective of the season), but to regain confidence and self-esteem in view of the second part of the season, which will see a much renewed APU with the additions of Gentile and Monaldi (for now). Cantù is the first real testing ground for Udine against one of the top teams in the Green group, against whom we will need to start crossing arms from April. Let’s add that so far the Old Wild West has collected the crumbs in direct clashes and the picture is complete: reversing the course already today would be the best way to move on.
LATEST
Yesterday morning Diego Monaldi made his discovery of the Apu world, then in the afternoon he said goodbye to his new companions leaving for Desio. Aprilia’s point guard remained in Udine to train. This means that there will be no turnover problems for tonight’s match, with Gaspardo recovering from heel pain and Gentile eager for his Juventus debut. Decision in extremis, dictated by the utmost prudence, but the feeling is that this will be the right time.
VOICES FROM THE CHANGING ROOM
The Apu remains silent on the press, yesterday the assistant coach Carlo Finetti made an exception to present the race. «We are facing a team that at the moment is playing on both halves with extreme confidence. At the end of the first leg we managed to qualify for this quarter-final which is an important goal for us. We will have to face it with the utmost commitment, both individually and as a team».
THE OPPONENTS
An open streak of ten victories is the most telling calling card possible. Cantù is literally flying, with a roster of nine interchangeable players who never lower the quality of the quintet. The pair of foreigners was spot on along the play-pivot axis, with the lucid direction of the Croatian Roko Rogic and the solidity under the basket of the American Dario Hunt. One of the most interesting themes, however, is the grand relaunch of Stefan Nikolic, who has returned to being the handsome player admired in Udine thanks to the Sacchetti cure. Game live streaming on the LnpPass for subscribers to the service.