President Giulini at the “Sports Day”

The president of Cagliari, Tommaso Giulini, participated in the conference titled “The Passion That Unites” in Paulilatino (Oristano), as part of the “Sports Day” event, now in its third edition. Many topics were discussed, starting with Cagliari Calcio’s social activities in the territories, linked to sport and beyond. Giulini also spoke about the upcoming match in Florence and the issue of the new stadium in Cagliari. The meeting with Fiorentina, however, also highlighted the historic bond between Cagliari and Fiorentina, especially with regard to Edoardo Bove, the midfielder who recently suffered a health scare on the field a week ago.

PEOPLE PRESENT IN THE TERRITORY “I would like to thank Mayor Domenico Gallus and the entire community of Paulilatino, whom I have had the fortune and honor of getting to know closely, together with my family, and who today allows me to share what Cagliari Calcio does, our philosophy, and the values we aim to promote and strengthen,” began Giulini in front of the audience at the “Grazia Deledda” theater in Paulilatino. “We always try to be as close as possible to the various territories, even those far from the capital, whether with the first-team players or with coaches, managers, and the entire team that works in the various areas. We like to organize friendly matches around the Island, even though it’s not easy to find fields with natural grass and facilities that meet the necessary standards. In this regard, I hope that the appeals from local authorities for improvements to infrastructure will be met with a positive response because spaces for sports are crucial to building the future. We represent Sardinia here and beyond the seas; it’s a huge pride, a responsibility we feel strongly every day, as we are the leading sports institution practicing the most popular sport. It’s an ambitious and stimulating daily challenge.”

THE SOCIAL ROLE OF CAGLIARI CALCIO
“I would specifically like to mention Touch2See, an initiative that has received tremendous international attention and that we developed as a club, involving our entire structure. Being able to allow blind children, through our collaboration with a French startup (Touch2See), to experience a live match at Unipol Domus is something truly wonderful. Seeing them get excited about our victory, following the match with special equipment and radios in their ears, was a unique and special experience both emotionally and from a technological innovation standpoint. This is an example of the social role of Cagliari, and it’s what we like to do with schools, communities, in penitentiary institutions, in the Curva Futura—Italy’s only stadium sector entirely and exclusively dedicated to young supporters—and also with Casteddu4Special, the Coppa Quartieri, and much more that has been developed over more than ten years, even through the Foundation bearing my father’s name. Whether directly related to sport or more broadly in the context of Cagliari Calcio’s social commitment, these initiatives are fundamental to who we are.”

EVERYTHING WITH EDOARDO
“What happened last Sunday shook us deeply, and I am happy to say that the worst is behind us. We wish Edoardo a swift recovery so that he can continue his professional career,” Giulini continued. “We are talking about a potential cornerstone of the Italian national team. I hope that this dream can remain alive. Here in Paulilatino, we discuss the values of sport: well, I truly hope that Edoardo Bove can continue to dream and be ambitious in football, his sport, just as every young person should be able to do.”

TOWARDS FLORENCE
“Our relationship with Fiorentina is very strong; we are very close to the Viola club. We lived through the tragedy of Astori together, and what happened to Davide is very similar to Bove’s situation. Thankfully, it happened in a football stadium, with an ambulance and a defibrillator nearby. This highlights the utmost importance of having them on every field, which is why Edoardo was saved, unlike Davide. These events bind us deeply to Fiorentina, especially with the recent loss of Joe Barone, following a similar issue. He was a modern, charismatic manager who left us too soon. This is the third such incident to happen at Fiorentina in just a few years, and I want to express our solidarity to the Tuscan club. Thankfully, Edoardo Bove was saved: tomorrow we will embrace them on the field, but we want to win the match (laughs, ed.).”

THE SPORTING JOURNEY
“Our seasons are always focused, first and foremost, on securing survival. Ambition must always be present; everyone must have it: myself as president, the athletes, the fans. But above all, we must focus on staying in the league, and that has always been our guiding rule, even back in 2019, when, just before the arrival of Covid, we found ourselves high in the standings. Take Atalanta as an example: today, they are among the top contenders for the Scudetto and are one of the most structured teams to achieve it, but they know that, given the kind of club they are, they must first ensure their place in the league and then think about other goals. They never fail to remind themselves of that. It is right and fundamental to aim high, with ambition and a desire to dream, but also with great realism and pragmatism.”

THE NEW STADIUM
“Those who attend matches at Unipol Domus know how great it is to experience football there and enjoy the match to the fullest, but they also know that it’s a temporary stadium, with challenges related to its small size and the lack of coverage in three out of four sectors. It’s a stadium we like, but it’s not enough, especially since about ten thousand fans are left outside every time, given that its capacity is just over 16,000 seats. We hope to succeed in realizing the project to build a new stadium, with the contribution and support of the institutions, starting with the government, as it’s a topic of interest for the entire country. The few stadiums that are being renovated are like the one in Bergamo, which is being modernized piece by piece thanks solely to the work of the club and private investments. We hope that Cagliari will soon have a stadium with features of innovation, identity, and sustainability. We presented a project with all the necessary requirements five years ago, but due to the delays we’re all familiar with, it risks already becoming outdated. We need everyone’s help, and the Municipality of Cagliari has never abandoned us in this regard, so we will continue moving forward. Right now, we play in a small, nice stadium, but it’s not enough to contain the passion, the love for football, and the enthusiasm for Cagliari.”