- Bari and Sudtirol were separated by just one point in 17th and 16th place at the end of the Serie B season.
- The first leg will be tense with Sudtirol holding the tiebreaker and Bari carrying home advantage.
- The two clubs have exchanged low-scoring, tight games over the last two seasons in a modern-day local rivalry.
Pressure on both sets of players for Serie B Serie C playout
The pressure will be on both Bari and FC Sudtirol Bolzano players for Friday’s opening game of the Serie B Serie C relegation playout with the winner staying up and the loser going down. This Bari vs FC Sudtirol Bolzano prediction highlights just how high the stakes are for both teams.
Bari finished one point behind Sudtirol on 40 after claiming two vital victories in the final two games of the regular season to squeeze into the playout. Moreno Longo’s side beat Catanzaro 3-1 at home before a 2-0 away win at Virtus Entella kept their survival hopes alive.
The Galletti are a team with a back three, but they have shown a knack of getting it right in terms of being pragmatic and finding the right balance in the later stages of the season under Moreno Longo, who returned to the club in January. Longo has been patient and, with an eye on the Bari vs FC Sudtirol Bolzano preview, has added some bite to his side in the last few games.
Gabriele Moncini has been their focal point up front, Kevin Piscopo stepped up to score two against Catanzaro when needed and Cerofolini makes a crucial stop at the other end. They will need them all for this one.
Sudtirol’s survival instinct could see them through
Sudtirol limped into the relegation playout by drawing three of their last six games, winning one and losing two, leaving them 16th on 41 points. Our Bari vs FC Sudtirol Bolzano prediction accounts for Fabrizio Castori’s veteran squad, which dug out results, but couldn’t quite get over the line after heavy defeats to Spezia (6-1) and Mantova (3-0) at the business end of the campaign.
Castori, who is known for his ability to keep teams up, has come in for some criticism for his tactical approach that saw his side suffer those heavy losses. Adamonis has been a rock in goal, but his defence conceded heavily in those games.
Silvio Merkaj is a versatile attacking threat and Daniele Casiraghi’s experience and creativity in the middle have been important for Sudtirol, but the main goal threat comes from Emanuele Pecorino, who can hurt sides when he gets into the penalty area or on set pieces.
For those seeking Bari vs FC Sudtirol Bolzano betting tips, Bari are listed at 2.47 favourites for the first game with Sudtirol set at 2.94 and the draw 3.1. We’re going for the draw at 3.1 because Sudtirol are the side with the survival instinct and have the advantage of having the tie with them in case of a draw on aggregate.
Expect a tight, tense first leg
Backing under 2.5 goals at 1.65 looks a good fit for the Bari vs FC Sudtirol Bolzano prediction too as Sudtirol are an intense pressing side in a 3-5-2 or 3-4-2-1 formation that uses wing-backs to get width and then press high on the flanks and in transition. Bari will try to contain them and are a more direct side, so the wide areas will be key to how this clash unfolds.
Sudtirol will be desperate to get back to Bolzano with something from this game, but Bari will need to attack their home game, so it could be tense with a single piece of quality making the difference. The weather in Bari should be mild and mostly sunny, but nothing to upset this clash.
