Italy-based right back Niko Kirwan is the only player at risk of missing major matches for his club, Padova. If they don’t finish first in group C of third-tier Serie C, they will have to take part in a playoff series for a shot at promotion to Serie B, which culminates in a home-and-away final on June 5 and 12.
Is the resident Italian football expert (newzealandpower) able to enlighten me as to why 28!!! teams need a shot at one final promotion spot?
Italy-based right back Niko Kirwan is the only player at risk of missing major matches for his club, Padova. If they don’t finish first in group C of third-tier Serie C, they will have to take part in a playoff series for a shot at promotion to Serie B, which culminates in a home-and-away final on June 5 and 12.
Is the resident Italian football expert (newzealandpower) able to enlighten me as to why 28!!! teams need a shot at one final promotion spot?
Absolutely beats me, AV! They changed the rules a few seasons back. I guess it's supposed to make the end of the season more exciting and to give more teams something to play for. Top teams in each of the 3 groups to straight up and Teams 2-10 battle it out in a gruelling play off series for the last remaining spot. I am very much against it. With all the problems Italian football has, the last thing you need is a mid table Serie C team fluking it into the second tier and then either being unable to compete or not having enough capital to do so. I also feel that's tremendously unfair to the second placed teams, like Padova at the moment who are on a different level to the rest of their group. If you look at Group A, you have Sudtirol on 83, Padova on 81 and 3rd placed FeralpiSalò is on 62. Similar story in Group B: Modena 81, Reggiana 77 and Cesena 63. It's more even in the southern group (C) with already promoted Bari leading on 75, Catanzaro on 62 and Avellino on 61. I think they should either increase the number of teams getting promoted/relagated, or maybe play off the 2nd placed teams and maybe the best placed 3rd. Or reduce the size of Serie C altogether!
Though to be devil's advocate Niko's Reggiana did get promoted via the playoffs a few years ago and what an amazing play off campaign that was... Still, if Padova or Reggiana, don't make it after having such a stellar season, that would be a real heartbreak moment.
I'm very hoepfuly for Padova. I was critical of their coach being let go with the team being firmly in second place but Oddo is doing a good job and Sudtirol seem to finally have run out of legs so anything is still possible.
The two teams are actually plating tomorrow in the Serie C Cup Final. The game is essentially a dead rubber (other than for silverware) as both teams are guaranteed, at worst, a place in the play offs (which is the prize for winning the Cup). I feel that if Niko and Co can roll them over, it would send a very strong message especially since they are going to play each other again in a few days in the league where Padova could pull off the mother of all comebacks!
Padova just won the Serie C Cup after 42 years! Niko in the thick of the action by winning the foul from which free kick Padova took the lead midway through the second half. He then put on a strong defensive display and was sent off for a double yellow card!
First time these two teams could be separated this season after two draws. Padova are coming back to Bolzano in two weeks when they hope to pull off another very important upset against the league leaders.
Next up Padova has another league game that they must win to keep the gap to -2 before the top of the table clash.
Mate, I've been really sick with covid the last few days. You should have seen me yesterday when I was typing my reply to AV...my wife was like what are you doing up and I said When someone of AV's caliber calls you a resident expert and asks you a question you simply have to answer 😂😂
Seriously though, I love following Kiwis around the world, especially in Italy!
Cup Final Highlights here. Pretty nervous game and Padova were lucky with a few refereeing decisions. Niko unlucky with both yellow cards in my opinion. Also he won the free kick from which Padova scored (GK should have done better)... Exciting times!
Starts off the bench in a gane vs lowly Giana Erminio. Subbed on at 68 with the score 0-0 and 3 minutes later Padova win a penalty which leads to the eventual 1-0 victory. Sudtirol bounced back from their Cup final loss with an emphatic 4-0 away win.
Next up is the big match. Padova vs Sudtirol. If Niko's team can win that game they will overtake the league leaders and only have to win one more game in order to win mathematical promotion to Serie B
"Südtirol won 4-0 in their game meaning that next week could be the decisive match of the campaign. Bigger even than that cup final. Padova are two points behind Südtirol with two games remaining and about to play them away in matchday 37. Lose there and it’s the labyrinthine playoffs. Win and if they beat Virtus Verona in their last game then Padova will be heading for Serie B. Draw and they’ll be clutching their prayer beads."
Up Next: Südtirol vs Calcio Padova, Sunday at 12.30am (NZT)
Means heading into final round Padova (home to Virtus Verona 14th) need to win, & hope Südtirol (away to Triestina 7th) lose, to avoid the playoffs lottery
Full game for Niko but yeah sadly the best attack (Padova) couldn't break the best defense (Sudtirol). Worth noting Padova have kept Sudtirol scoreless in each game this season. It comes down to the last game of the season. Sudtirol have only lost once in the league so statistically there's still a chance
On the bench as Padova host Virtus Verona (14th) needing to win. 0-0 at 50 mins
Meanwhile Südtirol are currently up 1-0 at Triestina (7th)
Edit - unused sub as Padova lose 1-2 to Verona. Loss not important as Südtirol win 2-0 anyway, to top league by 5 points and grab automatic promotion.
Understand that Padova come into the 2nd round of the bloated promotion playoffs. Hopefully they can make it.
Also Kirwan will miss promotion playoff final if Padova make it that far?? Final falls in June's FIFA window and Hay likely won't release him to his club, which such a huge game against Costa Rica looming.
Sudtirol were just incredible this season. 27 W, 9 D and only 2 L. 49 goals scored and only 9 conceded. 90 points out of 38 games.
Padova did ever so well to keep themselves in the title race until the last game. I don't know too much about the play offs yet, eg when they start, if Padova are seeded having come second etc but will find out soon.
I've been looking at the Serie C play off format for this season. It appears Padova are seeded and won't play until the other teams have reached the Second National Round (10 teams left from the original 28). They will then play a team in a home and away situation (the seeded team to play the return match at home). In case of a draw, the team with the best GD over the two games goes through. If the GD is the same, Padova will go through to the Semis.
So basically they're in the "quarter finals" already and aren't required to play until May 17th. The team are currently recuperating from the season's efforts in France.
Bad news for Niko and the AWs that Padova's season has been extended. Be interesting to see what arrangement, if any, Massimo Oddo and Danny Hay will come to re: WC Play Off.
Presumably winners advance to 4th round where Padova, and some other teams await.
Kirwan should be available for Padova in the 4th round (quarters), and round after that (semis), but likely misses the final if Padova make it, as falls inside FIFA window.
So rather ironically Padova have drawn Juve II in their 2 legged quarter. Ironic somewhat as Juve II were in same Serie C regional league as Padova (Girone A).
So a long wait for a convoluted process to get drawn against a team you have already played & beaten twice this season. Hopefully none of the Serie first squad are allowed to drop down for the games.
Are all these remaining ties (QF/SF/Final) played over two legs? That's a good long season for Niko (albeit a bit irrelevant if they don't make it past these next two fixtures).
Are all these remaining ties (QF/SF/Final) played over two legs? That's a good long season for Niko (albeit a bit irrelevant if they don't make it past these next two fixtures).
FIFA window also starts in 2 weeks, so if Padova progress, he'll likely be unavailable from about semis stage, when Hay calls him up.
Yes Padova's next game will be home and away. Same for the semifinals if they get there. Not sure about the final just yet. I would be shocked if Juve dropped any players. As far as I know, they run their U23 team as a separate team, and a bit of cash cow in that they have been selling some promising players around the place. The bad news is that Juve U23 can actually get promoted, just not into the same league as their top team, so they will give it their best. They have some good players so it's not going to be a walk in the park. As mentioned before, Padova did beat them twice over the regular season but it's the playoffs so you never know. Padova will be playing the return leg at home.
Preparations for the play off games continue with a 3-2 win vs Serie D side Luparense. 66 minutes for Niko. Not a great result but Padova are missing a few players and did rotate their squad. The first leg of the promotion play offs has been scheduled for 7am this Wednesday, NZ time. I'll definitely be listening in to the radio stream on the Padova website
Been a while since we last heard from Padova. That’s because their second placed finish in their conference meant they got to skip out on the early promotion playoff stuff. As tough as the Serie C playoffs are with 28 teams competing for one spot, Padova’s strong season at least meant they didn’t have to enter until the quarter-finals which will take place across the upcoming week. Better hope there’s no rust for a team that hasn’t played since April 25.
Padova will face Juventus U23s across two legs in the semis. First match is on Wednesday at 7am NZT, that one is away, second match is at home on Sunday at 6.30am NZT. Should they advance from that then there’s a further two-legged semi-final against either Monopoli or Catanzaro and then a two-legged final to follow... which could potentially be against his old club Reggiana with whom he won these promotion playoffs a couple years ago.
Starting in the first leg of the promotion play off Vs Juve U23. No big names in the opposition. Padova missing a couple of key players for this one. Currently the radio stream is just playing Padova songs... Disappointing as I really wanted to listen to the game!
Great result with Padova winning the QF first leg vs Juventus U23 1-0. Full game Niko. Saturday night (local time) the return leg. Padova will qualify if they win, draw or lose by one goal (new rules say that seeded teams advance to the next round in case of a draw after 180 minutes).
Here are the highlights from the first leg. Could have been a high scoring game had the striker from both teams been more accurate. Still, nice to get a win away from home in such an important game. The second leg will be played on Sunday at 6.30am NZ time in Padova.
Should they go through, they will play the winner of Monopoli v Catanzaro (the first leg ended 1-2).
Edit - Juve U23 lead 1-0 at HT, so 1-1 on aggregate. Stays this way I understand Padova still progress to semis as the higher seed.
Edit 2 - finishes 1-0 win Juve U23 (1-1 agg), but Padova go through to semis as higher seed?? Looks like they will next meet Catanzaro (3 - 1 agg winners over Monopoli) in 2 legged semis.
Job done! Juve U23 go on to winning 1-0 but Padova advances to the semifinals due to being seeded. Interesting game by all accounts. Padova with a goal line clearance in the middle of the second half and an allegedly clear penalty not awarded in injury time. Full game Niko.
Next up is Catanzaro away on Wednesday night with the return leg on Sunday (local time).
That's was my understanding. He's between a rock and a hard place. Chasing promotion to the second division in Italy with your club and the WC with the national team...hard place to be (but how exciting!). Hopefully they have enough depth to go all the way even without him. First they need to overcome Catanzaro. The first leg is going to be hard. There will be lots of vocal fans cheering on the home team. Playing in these sort of games in the South is always an experience
So Kirwan can play both legs of the semi final. Next Sunday is the 29th.
But if Padova make the final, he will miss that as AWs call him up at start of FIFA window??
Hay might be conditional with his call up. Obviously the OFC qualifiers can’t compare, but he was happy enough to not call up players if it significantly disrupted their club careers, and the same for the Olympics. Dane Ingham is in the squad as a third right-back, so if Kirwan has a final coincide with the Peru game especially, then he might be allowed to arrive later.
Highlights from the QF second leg. Niko with a great chance at 1:20. Padova unlucky to hit the crossbar twice and to be denied a penalty in the dying stages. But also lucky that their defender made a terrific recovery during a 1-on-1 with the keeper. Had Juve scored, Padova would have been out! Pretty sure VAR kicks in now at the semifinals stage. First leg away at Catanzaro on Thursday 5am NZT.
Caught up on some more news (busy morning for me with the Conference League final!). Padova apparently had a new combination at the back due to a injury and lost a key player in the warm up. They also had a goal disallowed in the first half (first time VAR has ever been used in Serie C). They haven't been scoring much of late but then again Ronaldo has been out and I understand Chiricò also wasn't well today. Hopefully they get their starters back for the return leg. Good to play such a key game at home.
Caught up on some more news (busy morning for me with the Conference League final!). Padova apparently had a new combination at the back due to a injury and lost a key player in the warm up. They also had a goal disallowed in the first half (first time VAR has ever been used in Serie C). They haven't been scoring much of late but then again Ronaldo has been out and I understand Chiricò also wasn't well today. Hopefully they get their starters back for the return leg. Good to play such a key game at home.
They need to win this time? Not higher seeded like the quarter final? Both teams were 2nd I note in their regular season Girones.
You're correct, Coochie. It's 180min of football, then potentially ET and in case of a draw still, penalties. Highlights from the semifinal first leg here. Eventful game. Both keepers with some good saves (I note Padova's shot stopper is PSG's Antonio Donnarumma's brother), a marginal yet correct offside call to disallow Padova's goal, and a couple of great shots going just wide. Padova will have the home advantage, hopefully they can get a nice, loud crowd to the game and do the business. I am 70% positive that Niko would be missing the final due to AW camp should they make it, but since he's been playing full games for the majority of the season, I can see him being utilised until the end on Monday.