Team Focus: Elephants Of Catania Marching Into Europe?

A team currently in eighth place in the league would rarely catch the attention of many and, when the side is a tiny club that has rarely left an impression on Italian football the likelihood of them catching the eye falls even further. Yet there sit Catania, a club only founded in 1946 as the game attempted to re-establish itself in the aftermath of World War II and, despite not being even the biggest side on the island of Sicily, they are enjoying what could be a historical and record breaking season.

Often in the shadow of not just the imposing Mount Etna but also hated derby rivals Palermo, the Rossoazzurri have spent only fifteen seasons – including the current one – in the first division, having competed largely as a Serie B club, living in the second tier for roughly half of their existence. The club record for consecutive seasons in the top flight stands at six - set between 1960 and 1966 – and looks set to be broken as, after being promoted for the first time in 22 years back in 2006, they seem certain to survive this time around.

Indeed, slowly, quietly and almost without anyone noticing, Catania have slipped level on points with Inter and trail the fallen giants on goal difference by just a single strike. Their current ranking of eighth is level with their highest ever finish, achieved in both the 1960-61 and 1964-65 seasons under club legend Carmelo Di Bella. Current coach Vincenzo Montella’s achievements may be ranked alongside the iconic coach as he needs his side to collect just six more points to break yet another club record. With ten games remaining they also require another eleven goals to beat their best ever Serie A tally which currently stands at 46, recorded back in 1964-65.

The impact of their coach cannot be understated as Montella, rather than wallow in self-pity after being denied the chance to become permanent boss at Roma (after the capital club opted instead to appoint Luis Enrique), has leapt at the chance to start again in the provinces. He has implemented a passing style that is both wonderful to watch as well as being highly effective, while also coaching the fundamentals extremely well. His team defends superbly as a unit, particularly at home where their nine goals conceded sees them rank as the second best defence in the league, bettered only by reigning Champions Milan with six. They are able to switch formations with ease, using both a 4-3-3 and, currently, 3-5-2/5-3-2 to great effect, looking well-balanced in either system.

Key figures in their successful campaign have been largely the cast-offs of other teams, with some fairly familiar names among their better performers. Their defence has been led by the former Juventus (and briefly Milan) centre-back Nicola Legrottaglie, now 35, who was released by both clubs and seemingly at the end of his career. Sitting in the middle of the back three in recent months, he leads the club in aerial duels won (1.7 per game) and offsides won (22).

He has started 22 games in Serie A and has only been replaced once, during which time he has netted four goals – another before the end of the season would be yet another record – many of which have come at vital times. In addition to scoring the only goal in this past weekend’s huge win over Lazio, Legrottaglie also struck in the 1-1 draws away to Atalanta and at home to Roma. He has also added 1.9 tackles, 2.5 interceptions and 8.1 clearances per game, as well as blocking fifteen shots.

That contribution has been complimented by a similarly effective one from Argentine team-mate Nicolás Spolli, who joined the club from Newell’s Old Boys back in 2009. He has made a team high 8.7 clearances, 3.1 interceptions and 2.3 tackles per game but his passing is nowhere near the level of his fellow defender, averaging just 27.8 passes per game at 83.6% compared to Legrottaglie’s 32.5 passes at a team high 84.6%.

Yet the impact of both men pales significantly when compared to the staggering season being enjoyed by their Neapolitan talisman Francesco Lodi, a player dropped by Udinese just two years ago. The number ten – who will take on his hometown club in a huge game this coming weekend – is another smashing records, already beating his own previous highs for goals and assists, notching eight and five respectively against former personal bests of just three and five in the top flight. What most catches the eye however, is the sheer style with which the Empoli youth product plays the game.

A traditional, old school fantasista, Montella has given him a deep role between Sergio Almiron and Gennaro Delvecchio, from where he dictates the play completely, leading the team in touches and passes per game (56.1) while recording an impressive two key passes per game. To call him a set-piece specialist could be considered a huge understatement, for here is a player who has yet to score from open play this season with six penalties and two direct free kicks to his name this term.

His total 1571 passes this season ranks seventh in Serie A, bettered only by players with far greater reputations than that of Lodi, who could stake a genuine claim to be Italian football’s best kept secret. That is not through a lack of effort on his part, saving some of his best displays for the peninsula’s top sides; scoring in the win over Inter, the derby with Palermo, the loss to Udinese and victory against Fiorentina.

Like Catania, Lodi has been in perhaps his best spell of the season following their last loss, a 3-1 reverse away to Juventus in mid-February. Since then the club has registered four wins and two draws, including a superb match at San Siro which finished 2-2 and, along with the home win back in October, gives them the head-to-head advantage over Inter should the two finish level on points at the end of the season. In those six games Lodi has two goals, three assists and three man of the match awards, upping his WhoScored.com average rating to 8.3 compared to his season rating of 7.26.

Should he keep up that form, Catania have every chance of qualifying for European football for the first time, the chances of which would be greatly increased should Napoli reach the Coppa Italia Final as that would see sixth place mean a Europa League spot. It might be too big a leap for Montella’s men, but the improvements seen over the past three seasons give their fans every reason to dream of seeing the Elefanti take on the continents best at the Stadio Massimino very soon.