Hellas Verona vs Catania preview - Pellegrino issues rallying cry

Posted Saturday, April 26, 2014 by PA

Catania coach Maurizio Pellegrino has called on his players to take confidence from their performance against Sampdoria as their Serie A survival fight reaches a critical point at Hellas Verona on Sunday.

The Sicilian outfit are at the foot of the standings, five points adrift of safety with four games remaining, and still have difficult fixtures to come against Roma, Bologna and Atalanta.

Catania kept their faint of hopes of retaining their top-flight status alive with a 2-1 triumph over Sampdoria last time out.

The outcome was Catania's fifth win of the campaign and their first under Pellegrino.

"As long as there is still hope we will keep trying," Pellegrino said. "We need to show the same hunger and determination we displayed against Sampdoria when we travel to Verona.

"We must gain strength from that performance and bring home three points on Sunday."

Catania will have to show a vast improvement if they are to succeed.

The Sicilians are winless on the road this season and have mustered just two points away from home.

Fortunately for Catania, Hellas have struggled to get results in Verona, with just one win in their last eight home games.

However, the hosts go into the encounter at the Marc' Antonio Bentegodi stadium inspired by last weekend's 2-1 triumph at Atalanta.

The victory was Hellas' third in their last four league games and lifted them into 10th place.

The outcome also saw Hellas equal the club's record of 15 wins in Serie A set back in 1985 when they won their first and only scudetto.

"I am proud to have achieved a club record of wins, matching Osvaldo Bagnoli, the greatest coach in the history of Hellas," Hellas coach Andrea Mandorlini said. "Now we must keep going as there are four games left to go and we want to end the season in the best possible way."

Italian veteran striker Luca Toni, who has scored 18 league goals so far, will lead Hellas' attack this weekend.