Bari Must Forget Christmas Misery in a Hurry Against Promotion-Chasing Spezia

Christmas cheer has been conspicuously absent in Bari this week, with a defeat to Palermo on Boxing Day leaving the Galletti eighth in Serie B, clinging on the final play-off spot on goal difference alone ahead of a clash with third-placed Spezia.

Much more was expected from the festive season as the Galletti headed into the second week of December on the back of a 14-game unbeaten run, which had laid the platform for an unlikely promotion push.

A trip to Pisa on December 13 was billed as the litmus test for Bari’s promotion credentials, only for a 2-0 defeat in Tuscany to check their momentum.

More worryingly, Moreno Longo’s team has since stumbled to a home defeat against a Sudtirol team that had not won in three months and lost away to Palermo as the Sicilians snapped their own three-game losing streak.

Losing three games on the bounce would be concerning for any manager, but the fact Bari have been held scoreless in each of those defeats is likely to give Longo’s nightmares.

With a meagre 20 goals in 19 matches, Bari have the worst attacking record of any of the top-eight teams in Serie B and while their defence remains the third-best in the division, defeats to Pisa, Sudtirol and Palermo suggest defensive solidity can only offset a lack of goals for so long.

With four goals apiece, Kevin Lasagna and Mehdi Dorval remain Bari’s top-scorers this season, but the former hasn’t found the net in a month, while the latter’s last goal came on December 7.

And Longo has called for his strikers to start scoring.

“I’m not blind. I see the problems,” he said after the loss against Palermo.

“Of course I’m worried. These guys need to up their game, plain and simple. I’m not dodging the issue, I want more. We need to be more decisive. If we want to achieve anything, we need to put up better numbers.”

Bari’s drought could not have come at a worse time as they face the best defence in the league at the San Nicola on Sunday. Spezia have conceded a paltry 11 goals this season and after Sassuolo’s 3-1 defeat against Pisa on Boxing Day are the only team left in Serie B with a single defeat to their name this term.

But however impressive those statistics may be, they cannot conceal the fact December has been a rollercoaster month for the Aquilotti with wins against Cittadella and Catanzaro offset by a defeat away against Palermo and frustrating draws at Marassi against Sampdoria and at home to 10-man Mantova on Boxing Day.

Diego Falcinelli’s 93rd minute equaliser ultimately meant the latter could be filed in the category of one point gained instead of two dropped, but it still meant the Ligurians missed the chance to close the gap to league leaders Sassuolo, who remain five points clear despite losing to Pisa.

The Tuscans, meanwhile, are now two points clear of Spezia themselves, with the Aquilotti still nine points ahead of Cremonese.

Spezia need to widen the gap by a further six points to secure direct promotion – Serie B’s convoluted promotion rules mean the top two teams are directly promoted, with the third joining them in Serie A if it finishes at least 15 points clear of fourth place – but context is required.

In Luca D’Angelo’s first full campaign in charge, Spezia have arguably been the biggest surprise in Serie B this season and promotion, be it direct or via the play-off, remains firmly within their sight.