Spezia boss Luca D’Angelo will be hoping history does not repeat itself as he prepares to lock horns with Cremonese coach Giovanni Stroppa in the Serie B play-off final once again.

The pair will square up on Thursday, three years to the day since Stroppa’s Monza came from behind to beat D’Angelo’s Pisa 4-3 in an extra-time thriller at the Garibaldi to win 6-4 on aggregate.

Missing out on a place in Serie A cost D’Angelo his job and although he was reinstated shortly after, he was dismissed for a second time after missing the play-offs in 2023. For Stroppa, his stay in the top flight with Monza was short, as the axe fell following a return of one point from six games.

The pair have been in place with their current employers since the second half of 2023 and in that time it is Stroppa who holds the upper hand.

He is undefeated in three games between them, winning twice away from home and drawing last September at the Giovanni Zini, the venue for Thursday’s first leg.

The Grigiorossi are unbeaten in six games there, since going down to Cesena on February 22, and in their most recent meeting with the Aquilotti they won 3-2, having led 3-0 with just over 20 minutes to go.

D’Angelo, however, is refusing to look backwards. He said: “We rewatched that match, but now we are thinking about this one. That was a championship match, here we are in a play-off final. Even on a mental level it will be completely different. I don’t think it’s an advantage to have faced them recently, given that we lost. We prepare for this match without thinking too much about that one.”

On his opposite number, D’Angelo added: “Stroppa? I respect him, but it’s not a personal challenge between me and him. It’s the past (the 2022 final). We played a great match. Now we have to look forward, that page is closed.”

D’Angelo received a boost with the news that midfielder Salvatore Esposito and veteran striker Gianluca Lapadula are likely to be available, although defender Luca Vignali is doubtful.

Cremonese are taking their place in the final for a second year in a row, having lost to Venezia 12 months ago, while Spezia narrowly avoided falling through the trapdoor in 2023-24 after finishing 15th.

Stroppa said: “I congratulate D’Angelo for the work he has done and he knows that I have a lot of respect for him. We know that we are facing a strong team.”

Both sides will be looking to make a positive start ahead of Sunday’s second leg at the Picco. Home advantage in the return is the reward for a higher league finish – third-placed Spezia were five points better off then Cremonese in fourth – and if the match is all square after 180 minutes, D’Angelo’s side will be promoted without the need for extra-time and penalties.

While Cremonese had to overturn a 2-1 deficit against surprise-package Juve Stabia in the semis, Spezia had no real trouble against Catanzaro, winning 4-1 over the two legs. That got them back on track having won just three of their last nine regular season games and losing two of their last three, including that 3-2 defeat by Cremonese on May 9.

In their favour, Spezia boast the tightest defence across the regular season (33 goals conceded) but Cremonese have a man in form in Dennis Johnsen, the Norwegian scoring in both legs against Juve Stabia, while Franco Vazquez was back in the starting line-up last time out.

Spezia chief D’Angelo will not be singling any player out for special treatment though. He said: “That Cremonese is strong is beyond question, the fact that they are in the final for the second year in a row proves it. But we had five more points than them this season. Vazquez? He is a player with great qualities, we know him well, but we will face Cremonese, not just one of them.”

Set-pieces have been a not-so-secret weapon for Spezia this season, and Stroppa, who is without defender Matteo Bianchetti, is prepared.

He said: “If you give something away to Spezia, they will punish you immediately. I remember the issue of set-pieces because Spezia is very dangerous at exploiting them, but they are skilled and strong in any area of ​​the pitch. Let’s forget about the return match, it won’t be like in the championship and we will have to remain on maximum alert.”

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