Modena vs Avellino - Serie B

The history between Modena and Avellino lends this Serie B fixture an extra layer of spice, and when the two walk out at the home ground on September 6, 2026, recent encounters will be on everyone's mind. The 74-year-old Hoops boss admitted that "it'll be a bit strange not having the (Celtic) fans in but I'm nervously and excitedly looking forward to it; it's a great fixture" and also spoke about the police visit.

In the Serie B table, Modena currently occupy 6th and Avellino sit 4th, and the context adds genuine weight to what is already an intriguing fixture. The hosts have been steady if unspectacular, D in their last five reflecting a win rate of 50%. The visitors have been picking up results steadily, DWWL over their last five with a campaign win rate of 50%. Their respective approaches this season have differed noticeably, and the tactical contrast could prove telling. On Wednesday night, Infantino was given the "full support" of FIFA's management board in a statement despite being forced to abandon his plan to sell stakes in a company to run the World Cup to private investors.

Set-piece efficiency and transition play often decide fixtures of this nature, and both managers will have been drilling those phases on the training ground. Schalke were third bottom for possession in winning the second tier, let alone facing Bayern.

The fixture boasts genuine star quality. With C. Shpendi topping the Serie B scoring charts at 5 goals, the stage is set for the kind of individual brilliance that can swing a contest. The battle in midfield, where both sides look to control tempo, could prove the decisive arena. On his Arsenal debut against Girona, Tzolis strode forward with confidence at his defender, cut inside defiantly and slotted an effort into the bottom corner, via a slight deflection.

Predicting an outright winner is no easy task given how little separates the two sides on paper. Avellino look well-equipped to take the points on the road, with a 2-3 victory well within their reach. The ramifications of this result could ripple through the Serie B standings for weeks to come, regardless of who comes out on top. The 22-year-old was likely quite high up on the list of United's midfield targets and potentially even higher after Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga blows.