Italian Clubs Recalibrate as Modena Stuns Vicenza and Cesena Looms Ahead

Modena captured a dramatic 2-1 road victory against Vicenza at Stadio Romeo Menti, riding high on form sparked by striker Belotti's recent derby performance against Cesena. The agonizing late defeat halted Vicenza's bid to build positive momentum following their previous victory over Empoli, highlighting how quickly fortunes can shift as Italian clubs battle for positioning across a demanding domestic campaign.

The contest at the Menti began brightly for the home side. Vicenza asserted early pressure and broke the deadlock in the 14th minute when a strike from Bellemo deflected off defender Nieling and rolled past Modena goalkeeper Chichizola. The celebration proved short-lived, however. Just two minutes later, a defensive blunder opened space for Modena, allowing Caso to link up in a sharp give-and-go with Belotti, who calmly beat goalkeeper Gagno with a clinical finish to tie the score at 1-1.

Vicenza maintained high intensity through much of the first half, testing Chichizola through Valoti and relying on Caferri's steady runs down the right flank. In the second half, physical exhaustion began to set in, prompting Vicenza manager Gallo to introduce substitutes including Zonta, Morra, and Alessio. The decisive blow arrived in the 89th minute when Zonta suffered a lapse in defensive concentration. Ambrosino seized on the miscue, maneuvered past Brighenti with a sharp double touch, and drilled home the winner, denying Vicenza a third consecutive positive result.

Cesena now looms large on the schedule for another regional competitor, FC Südtirol, who will host Cesena at Drusus-Stadion on Saturday afternoon. Südtirol enters that upcoming contest in deep search of answers after enduring a disappointing 2-0 defeat away against AC Padova Calcio on Tuesday evening, October 27, 2026. The setback extended Südtirol's frustrating slump, dropping the club down to eighth place and ending any hopes of an immediate resurgence.

Under head coach Davide Possanzini, Südtirol has not won a match since September 21, when they defeated Arezzo. The team's recent offensive drought has generated serious concern, producing only one goal while conceding six over their past three outings. Padova capitalized on those vulnerabilities with a 19th-minute strike from Gabriele Artistico, followed by an 87th-minute sealer from substitute Alessandro Capelli. Despite the defeat, Possanzini witnessed bright spots in the performances of Leifers native Federico Davi and 19-year-old Rovereto midfielder Dhirar Brik, the latter making his first career Serie B start.

Beyond Vicenza, Modena, and Südtirol, other clubs across the regional landscape are grappling with tactical recalibrations connected to familiar faces from Cesena and Empoli. Reggiana manager Attilio Tesser faces major offensive dilemmas ahead of a clash against Sambenedettese at the Città del Tricolore. Top goalscorer Leon Šipoš, who has scored eight of the team's fourteen goals this season, faces an expected absence of three to five matches, while key contributor Natan Girma is at heavy risk of missing out due to an ankle sprain.

To compensate, Reggiana is looking to players with past links to both Empoli and Cesena to ignite an attack that has scored just once in its last four games. Midfielder Francesco Pio Vallarelli, seeking his first goal for Reggiana after eleven appearances, previously registered five goals during the 2023–24 season with Empoli Primavera. Meanwhile, veteran Michele Castagnetti awaits clearance from an injury suffered in late August; his last competitive goal came with Cesena against Venezia in September 2025. Along with captain Manolo Portanova, Reggiana hopes these figures can rediscover their scoring touch as the Italian calendar intensifies.