PRESS ROOM | Pisacane before the match

On the eve of Juventus-Cagliari, Rossoblù coach Fabio Pisacane spoke to the media in the press room at the Crai Sport Center in Assemini.

AFTER GENOA
“As I said while the game was still hot, there was bitterness after the result against Genoa. The mood wasn’t great; conceding three goals in a direct match is never pleasant. It was a game with very mixed feelings: the team showed some positives, but there were also some defensive weaknesses, which led to the goals conceded. Only with daily work can we improve. We could have won, but we could also have lost; we have to admit that, so the only way to react is to focus on the aspects that didn’t work.”

THE OPPONENT
“Juve is a team tied on points with Como, so in terms of size—if we want—we can certainly put them in that league, even knowing they have many champions and a top-class status, and it’ll be up to us to be ready with our weapons. There are no easy games, we know that, but it’s also true that we always start 0-0, so we’ll have to play our cards right. They’ve hired a top coach in Spalletti, and they’re confident after the win in Norway. We’ll have to go there with enthusiasm and attention to detail.”

OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE
“Against Genoa, we had high-level pressing numbers, which we hadn’t seen in Como or other matches, for example. Against the Ligurians, we lined up with the desire to attack them high up the pitch and engage in a duel, especially because it was a direct rival match and required a specific approach. We took risks and struggled, especially in the first 25 minutes. You have to be honest and not sweep things under the rug; that’s the only way to learn from your mistakes.”

PLAYERS
A player like Folorunsho is giving us valuable and diverse options; he can be deployed in multiple positions, and that’s important to me. Adopo played well against Genoa, he came on in the right way, and I understand that performance judgments are often subjective. Prati had a less brilliant game, which happens. Mina isn’t at his best due to a leg bruise he picked up in training and is doubtful. Belotti and Zé Pedro are obviously out, and Mazzitelli could join us even though he’s certainly not at his best. Gaetano? When he plays, he lights up the pitch. Against Genoa, we wanted to play a man-to-man game, and that wasn’t ideal against a midfield with pace and physicality. But Gianluca has quality and is paying for not having a training camp and having been sidelined again after just a few games. I hope he returns to his usual level soon with consistency. This team needs everyone, in every position, and it’s important for every player to be aware of this so they can be ready at any moment. That’s why there are five substitutions and why squads are built. of 25 or more players. Esposito? The goal is the tip of the iceberg, it certifies the work you do every day, it fuels enthusiasm, so it’s certainly fundamental even if it’s not the only factor to take into consideration when evaluating a striker.

THE SCHEDULE
“All matches are tough. We played well in Rome and Como, and we’ll try to repeat that in Turin, knowing we’re facing tough opponents. After 12 matches, it’s difficult to draw a meaningful conclusion; it still takes some time: we’ve conceded a lot of goals from set pieces, and we need to work on that. It also depends on the type of match you’re preparing for and your strategy. If you attack the opponent high up, you risk conceding a lot of goals; if you stay lower, it’s less easy to create a large number of chances. But it also depends on the type of match you want to play and the strategy you choose. If you try to attack high up, you risk being hit on the counter.”

TACTICS
“We mustn’t forget that we found a balance in the first half, then we made adjustments based on the various situations that arose. We are Cagliari, and we also need tactics, not just technique and spectacle, which we all want to see but can’t always deliver. In Como, we used a strategy similar to the one against Lazio, but we are Cagliari, and there are games where you absolutely have to get points, regardless of the play we show.”

PERSONAL MEMORIES AT JUVENTUS STADIUM
“The first one was definitely special, because for me, coming from the bottom, playing at Juventus represented the fulfillment of a dream and a journey of sacrifice and dedication. It was, in 2016, the first match with a penalty awarded with VAR, on the opening day of the championship. And then I can’t forget the one in which I marked Cristiano Ronaldo; for me, it wasn’t trivial to have a player of that caliber as a direct opponent.”