PRESS ROOM | Nicola after Cagliari-Lazio
Here are the words of Davide Nicola after the match between Cagliari and Lazio at Unipol Domus, which ended 2-1 in favor of the Biancocelesti.
GOOD PERFORMANCE
“In my opinion, today’s performance was more than enough. It’s a shame about the goal we conceded; we could have done better, but you know I don’t crucify anyone for a mistake. Against Lazio, like against all the top teams, you can’t afford to make any mistakes, and you pay for it. It’s a shame because, on the second goal, there were more of our mistakes than their merits. We are searching for our identity, and after Torino, we wanted to show that we can play well and hurt the opponent. We managed to do that, but it wasn’t enough.”
PLAYERS
“I’m happy for Piccoli, who scored again, well done to him. It means he’s working well, just like all the other guys. Felici had a great first half, but in the second half, the opponent got the better of him. He’s building his career and his journey. Many players are growing, but it takes time. I’m happy for Piccoli. Zappa is playing a lot, and today we chose Zortea as a full-back at one point, but he has different characteristics, so we’ll see how it goes game by game. Marin wasn’t available for the whole week, so Prati had some more space, and I’ve always said that in the middle we’re many. The only area where I’ve almost always had everyone available is the midfield. Makoumbou and Adopo provide important defensive cover, and they’ve had consistency, just like Marin and Deiola. The four of them are interchangeable with different qualities. When two play, people talk about the third who didn’t play, and vice versa, it’s part of the game. For me, Prati is a young player with a lot of potential, but to give everyone more playing time, I’d need twice as many games. We believe in Matteo, and everyone will have to carve out their own space with the desire to make an impact at any given moment.”
TOWARDS PARMA
“There’s no game more important than the others, but it’s definitely a direct clash and it means a lot. If we win, we gain significant advantages, we know that, and we’re working to be ready. The team is playing well, and we are in a position to fight in every match. We need to be aware of that, and we’ll keep working to eliminate the mistakes we’re still making. Coman has arrived, and he could be important for us. I hope to recover Luvumbo soon, even if just partially with the group, starting this week. I’ve always believed in this team. In some areas, we might not have many players, but we definitely have options, and with Coman, we’ve added one more. Every match from now until the end will be crucial, and nobody fighting for survival can feel comfortable right now. We are working week by week, giving everything we have each day.”
THE RIGHT WAY
“This team has the means to stay up, the important thing is to be patient throughout the journey and understand that, unfortunately, teams like ours might lose a few more games along the way. I’m satisfied with the boys’ performance, to be honest. Unfortunately, it’s marred by mistakes made out of too much haste and eagerness; sometimes, we need to stay calmer. We created opportunities, and I’m always happy when we score. That said, today we might have paid the price for episodes caused more by a touch of impatience than by their merits. It’s a shame, but we move forward and keep working. We were up against a strong opponent, and while we can always do better, Lazio is very strong. If the difference was less noticeable, it means we did well.”
TACTICAL SITUATIONS
“In the first half, I think our drop in position was due to Lazio’s excellent ball circulation and positional play, which gives you few references and forces you to move a lot. Felici was staying very wide on Hysaj, who pushed forward more than Gila did when he came on, and that left the central area exposed, where Viola had to drop deeper, and we lost our balance. It’s fine, though; the important thing is to maintain aggression even in our own half. We have a crowd that pushes us a lot, it’s amazing, but sometimes we need to be more rational and less frantic. At times, you need to run a lot, and at others, it’s better to think things through and remain aggressive, even if you’re a bit deeper.”
