Di Francesco signs for victory

Palermo won again in a friendly: the Rosanero beat Leicester 1-0 at Chesterfield, showing a more than positive performance. Di Francesco scored again after the goal that gave the win in the previous test against Monza at the Timo. Matteo Brunori is absent at the last minute: the captain did not take to the field due to a muscle strain.

Dionisi uses a 4-3-3 formation with Gomez in goal; Diakite, Lucioni, Greaves and Buttaru in defence. Saric, Gomez and Ranocchia in midfield; a three-pronged attack with Insigne, Di Mariano and Di Francesco in a new, false version. In the first half, the Rosanero played good football, the divisions got the right distances and the manoeuvres began to show the tactical dictates requested by the coach. In the 26th minute Ranocchia almost scored from a free kick, the English responded through Mavididi shortly after and Ndidi with a header. Before the end of the first half, Greaves had to make a substitution, with Nicolau in his place: the team returned to the dressing room with the score 0-0.

File – Curva Nord, History of an Extreme World: Map of the Ultras Groups in Palermo

At the start of the second half, Di Mariano had a good chance but the Palermo player spread wide and wasted Ranocchia’s good pass. Leicester came close through Mavididi but Lucioni’s deflection saved trouble. On the threshold of the quarter-hour changes for Palermo: Henry, Vasic and Nedelchiaro, off Di Mariano, Saric and Lucioni. A minute later the Rosanero went ahead: Di Francesco scored again, finishing off an initial through ball from Henry which the English defence created in a dramatic mess and ended up sending the striker in, who scored with a flat shot.

In the 67th minute, another change for the Rosanero coach, with Lund replacing Bottaro. Palermo’s production in the build-up is often clean, Dionisi’s men rarely taking risks and managing to set up with quality. Shortly afterwards, Blaine was also on the pitch, replacing Di Francesco.

In the 75th minute, Insigne sends in: a beautiful cross from Vasic and a direct shot from Napoli hits the post. Seven minutes into the 90th minute, Beda enters for Ranocchia, with a whirlwind of changes for the English. In the final minutes, Leicester’s attempts were in vain, and the Rosanero defense held up well and repeated the success they had against Monza. A positive win considering the approaching start of the season, the last test of the summer preparations against Oxford on August 3.