Football Season Guide

Società Polisportiva Ars et Labor (aka SPAL) are a very old football club from Ferrara (Emilia Romagna region) who played 21 seasons in the top flight, but the last one at the end of the 60s. After having played in the lower leagues for many years and after two bankruptcies, are finally back in football that matters...their last participation in Serie B dates back to 23 years ago. Last season of the biancocelesti was triumphant, they won Lega Pro group B with an advantage of 9 points on Pisa. They also had by far the best attack of the league (three of their strikers in double figures with the best one Cellini who scored 17 goals!) and the best defense. The coach of this great season was Leonardo Semplici who usually relies on the 3-5-2 system of play. During the summer transfer market Spal made a very important campaign: they changed completely the attacking duo signing Under 21 Italian international Cerri and former Leeds Antenucci, bought two experienced midfielders like Schiattarella and Arini and between the sticks took on loan from Udinese Meret, one of the most interesting young Italian goalkeepers. As for the outbound market the most painful farewell is the one of striker Cellini. As for the approach to the new season the biancocelesti easily defeated Messina in the second round of Coppa Italia but were then thrashed by Cagliari.