«The playoffs would be useless. We have to reduce the groups and the repechage will be few “

The president of the Venetian FIGC Giuseppe Ruzza intervenes on an issue that is debatable. “It’s a special moment, in two years we need to go back to the usual numbers in our categories”

The playoffs in the current season would in fact be useless, given the need to quickly return to the number of usual teams in previous years. This is why the Venetian FIGC does not foresee play-offs from Excellence to the Second Category in this championship. In fact, the winner of each group will be promoted, while the ranking for any repechage will be formed as follows: in the lead who lifts the Veneto Cup (or the other finalist if the winner has already won the championship), followed by the runners-up. Playout confirmed instead. The regional president Giuseppe Ruzza explains it better, given the interest around the topic.

«Premise: they are usually very useful. But we must not forget the moment we are living in. Within two seasons there is the need to return to the usual numbers, linked to the groups of 16 teams. I therefore speak of an Excellence with 32 teams instead of the current 42, of a Promotion of 64 compared to the 70 of now and of a First of 128 instead of 140 ».

Translated, you will not fish for almost anyone.

“Exactly. We have already managed to guarantee the promotion to the higher category of all the first classified, despite this year there are more groups. Consequently, picking up teams would clash with the need to reduce the overall number of formations. Many playoff matches would have no use ».

Objection: in Serie D playoffs have been played for years in fact useless, because whoever wins them enters a ranking for difficult repechage in C. Can’t you do this also in regional tournaments? Instead of giving any hope to the second classified, it is given to whoever wins the semifinal and playoff final of the group. Otherwise many teams will be without motivation already in February, if not sooner …

“We are in an emergency situation. Fortunately, now everything is going well and we are able to play regularly, but in such difficult years, forcing the clubs to spend and organize a further month of activity with the possibility of almost nothing to move up in the category seems absurd to me ».

And do a survey? All regional clubs vote without distinction of category, if the majority says yes to the playoffs organized them. Even the teams of D remain in business an extra month, knowing that they are almost certainly not going to C.

“Ours is a decision taken, so it is not our intention to hold a sort of referendum on the issue. However, if a large number of requests to enter the playoffs arrive, we will take into consideration the will of the clubs. Do not think in any case that playing the play-offs is such a deeply felt and shared need. And in any case, I reiterate how the repechage will be nil or very reduced, next summer. In order to arrive at the number of standard teams, the next one is not ruled out as a year with odd groups ».

The playoffs therefore remain only in Third. By the way, what is your opinion of this championship that has already been skipped in some committees? Will there be an enlarged Second in the future or will provincial football remain alive?

“I hope the second option. And in a certain sense the numbers in Veneto point in this direction. We have increased the members of almost twenty units and in the summer several teams did not accept the repechage in the regional. The Third is still liked, including the option to choose the day of the home matches ».