Catania Club Focus: Bellusci the Brute

Even though 10-man Catania lost 2-0 to Genoa in their last match, they looked a lot more organized when they were down a player. However, it was a must win game and they failed to claim the three points. A lot of the blame goes down to defender Giuseppe Bellusci, who was sent off for a couple of mindless fouls.

It was the Italian’s second red card of the season, which is tied for the most this season. The first time Bellusci was sent off, it was in a 3-1 loss to Lazio on September 25th. It was 2-1 when the referee brandished the card in the 65th minute, but the Elefanti had to chase the game and were already fatigued. Going down to 10 didn’t help their cause.

The second time Bellusci was dismissed was even worse. It was 1-0 for Genoa, but thanks to two bookings in 14 minutes, the visitors were reduced to 10 men. Defensively they were brilliant, but without Gonzalo Bergessio and Pablo Barrientos, Catania were already shorthanded. Their hopes of snatching at least a point evaporated the moment the 24-year-old left the pitch.

Those two reds cost Catania the chance to win at least two more points, which would have brought them level with 17th placed Chievo in the table.

Bellusci is the poster boy of the team’s failures this season. Individual mistakes have hurt the Etnei all year, but it hasn’t just been the red cards, it’s the moments of stupidity where a defender forgets to mark his man or scuffs a shot.

Yet Bellusci is, and always has been, a solid defender. He rarely commits those errors, but like almost every player in the squad, he’s not perfect. The idiotic portion of his game shines through with the red cards and bookings he gets. A tactical yellow is one thing, but ones like he earned this past weekend are another.

At 24, he’s yet to hit his prime as a centre back. The scary part is that his technique and position are almost there. However, he’s a tough, gritty defender. Bellusci relies more on force than finesse, which obviously has its setbacks.

With the season winding down soon, there are fewer excuses that Catania can rely upon. Players can’t be making these mistakes in a relegation fight. Even though the Rossazzurri have slipped up recently, they’re still a couple of points away from safety.

Now they won’t have Bellusci due to suspension on top of a couple of injuries. He’s still young, but maybe president Antonino Pulvirenti should look at signing another central defender in the summer, even if the Elefanti are a Serie B club in 2013/14. Who knows, the former Ascoli man may be better suited for the English game.

On the other hand, he’s still young for his position, so there may still be time to snap those tendencies out of Bellusci. The chances of that are low, because he’s been playing like that since he became a professional. Coach Rolando Maran and the front office may have some planning to do over the next few months.