PRESS ROOM | Nicola after Cagliari-Juventus
Coach Davide Nicola commented on the match to the media following the game against Juventus. Here are his words from the press area of the Unipol Domus.
MATCH WITH TWO FACES
“The goal is always to have the kind of attitude we showed in the second half today. But we also have to recognize that quality doesn’t always allow for that. In the second half, we raised our line and increased our attacking intent, but at the same time, it was difficult not to concede attacks in open spaces in our half. At the start of the match, we wanted to have density in midfield, and the three-man midfield allowed us to be ready for various situations. We lacked the proper pressing movements, and we conceded a goal in a situation we knew about because when Juventus recovers the ball centrally and counters, they hurt you. We needed to be faster in transition. In the second half, we made some changes as planned, and Cagliari played the game we needed to play. We need to be more capable of balancing our attacking play with defending properly. In the second half, we achieved that, and we’ll build from there.”
RELEGATION BATTLE
“I’m not sure if I’m an expert, but I’ve certainly fought for that objective many times. I try to instill a certain style of football in the players. This year, the competition is tight, and anyone can get a result against anyone. The gap between teams is narrow, and no one can feel safe or doomed. Today, we built the game we needed to play, it’s a shame about the goal we conceded in that way.”
ATTITUDE AND STYLE OF PLAY
“It’s not that we don’t want to play all matches like the second half today, but we also need to be honest and rational in understanding that resources need to be managed and that certain teams must be faced in open play. We’re trained for high intensity, but we don’t play every three days like some of the top teams. When you raise your line, you can’t always be perfect at running back against world-class players. It’s disappointing how we conceded the goal in a situation we knew about; we’re a bit frustrated because we knew it was coming, and we were a bit naïve. Juventus could have scored in other ways, and we would have accepted that, but this way, it’s frustrating. Juventus has a more complex style compared to Atalanta; they force you to focus on positioning and collective work rather than marking individual players. It’s a shame we didn’t find the right play to break through and score.”
FINALLY ZITO
“Luvumbo has been out for two months, and we had planned to give him some minutes today. On the left, he’s more inclined to cross, and he made some very nice plays, though he could have been more precise with the final assist. Then I also brought on Coman to exploit his quality and speed between the lines. Over the next few weeks, we’ll work with these offensive players to improve our solutions and our attacking threat. I’m convinced that everything is possible if there’s the right commitment and the will to always give something extra.”
FINALLY ZITO
“In my mindset, the game needs to be extremely vertical. Those who are quick to occupy the final third of the field are more likely to face one-on-one situations. It’s not easy, and it needs to be prepared with patience. When you manage to do it, you can make an impact. If you get into a tight space, you either need to drive forward or open up the play with speed. We haven’t always been able to do it, but we were better in the second half.”
