Serie B is unchanged after a prolonged Easter break and that is not good news for Reggiana and Cittadella ahead of their meeting at the Stadio Citta’ del Tricolore on Friday.

This was meant to be the second consecutive relegation six-pointer for both sides, but the Granata‘s trip to Brescia and Citta’s home fixture against Salernitana on Easter Monday were postponed as Italian football ground to a halt in the wake of Pope Francis’ death.

As a result, Reggiana head into the fixture second-bottom of Serie B on 32 points, with Cittadella three points and two places above them, level on points with Brescia, Sudtirol and Sampdoria.

Not even the most forensic of examinations could determine whose form is worse going into the final five games of the season. Winless in 10, Reggiana have slipped down the table, a decline accelerated by playing against three of Serie B’s top four teams over the past three weeks.

That run returned a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of local rivals and league leaders Sassuolo, followed by consecutive home defeats by fourth-placed Cremonese and second-placed Pisa.

If possible, the reshuffling of the calendar following Pope Francis’ death has made life even harder for the Granata, who now face having to play their final two games of the season away from home after the Easter Monday fixtures were postponed to May 13.

Davide Dionigi will have to do without first-choice goalkeeper Francesco Bardi, who is suspended alongside Luca Cigarini and Natan Girma. On the injury front, the situation remains delicate with Oliver Urso, Mario Sampirisi, Andrea Meroni and Stefano Pettinari unavailable.

The picture is similarly grim for Cittadella, who find themselves in the relegation play-off spots for the first time in almost four months after losing 1-0 to Sampdoria on April 12.

Unlike Reggiana, the Venetians have tasted victory relatively recently with a 1-0 win away against play-off chasing Juve Stabia on March 1 but 35 points after 33 games is their lowest tally at this stage of a Serie B season since 2013-14.

The calendar is slightly more benign for Cittadella, with three of their remaining four fixtures after the trip to Reggio Emilia at home, against Brescia, Bari and Salernitana.

That is until one remembers that the Venetians have broken a club record for most Serie B home games without a win this season, and set another club record for most consecutive home losses in the division.

Inspiring stuff, it is not. And neither is the fact that with just 25 goals to their name, they have the worst attack in the league. Six of them have come from top-scorer Luca Pandolfi, who has not found the net in over two months.

Reggiana, meanwhile, have scored seven more and the onus to come up with the goods for the hosts will again rest on the shoulders of Luca Vido, Antonio Vergara and Manolo Portanova, who have combined for 16 goals this season.

“We know we have to fight until the end,” Citta manager Alessandro dal Canto said after the defeat by Sampdoria. “If we avoid throwing away points, it’s even better.”

Reggio Emilia would be a good place for his players to start heeding his advice.

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