PRESS ROOM | Pisacane before Cagliari-Roma

On the eve of Cagliari-Roma, Fabio Pisacane met with the media in the press room at the Crai Sport Center in Assemini. Here’s what he had to say to introduce the match.

REGRET
“We’re still disappointed that we lost on penalties in Naples on Wednesday; we were eleven meters away from qualifying. We wanted to give our fans something to cheer about, just as we want to do in the league by returning to winning ways. That said, when you go to a stadium like this and play a high-level game—like we did in Turin—it means the team is on point and has plenty of energy to put on the pitch with dedication, sacrifice, and ideas. I hope we can continue in this vein tomorrow, trying to do something more and rediscover the joy of winning, which is what we all want.”

NOT AVAILABLE
Mina is still dealing with the leg bruise she suffered before the Turin match. She’s undergoing individual training and isn’t yet 100%. Mazzitelli, Zé Pedro, Belotti, and Felici are also out. We’re incredibly sorry about Mattia’s injury. For all he was giving us, we’re losing a vibrant young man who wanted to conquer the world. I always like to think positively, and so I like to think that, just as Belotti’s injury kicked off a difficult period, Felici’s injury could now bring this period to a close.

AGAINST A MASTER AS GASPERINI
“I’m very excited about the match against Gasperini: I saw him up close when he was coaching Genoa, I made my Serie A debut against him (in Cagliari-Atalanta 3-0 in 2016, ed.), his Atalanta was a benchmark for our football, and he’s doing very well at Roma too. We’re talking about a coach who has brought about a transformation in Italian football, I’ll be happy to say goodbye to him, and it will be a huge pleasure to be able to face him in this new role.”

RODRIGUEZ IS IMPROVING
“Juanchi is a street urchin, we knew he wouldn’t disappoint. He comes from a country where he’s used to playing under pressure and in front of many fans. I think he’s a guy who could be Cagliari’s future. We’re working on him with the staff, and his journey should also be viewed through the lens of scouting. This is a collective effort that must lead to the development of young players, whether they’re homegrown or discovered internationally. Juan Martín has a chance to start again tomorrow after the match against Napoli.”

MARKET
“We’re always in agreement with the club on transfer market matters. Right now, however, I prefer to focus on the games to come and the squad I have available. I’m focusing with the lads on finding victory and giving it to our fans; that’s the priority.”

POSITIVE NOTES
“Everyone in Naples played well. It wasn’t a test for anyone, other than the desire to give more playing time to those who had had less so far. We saw that we can count on all our players, and that’s very important.

CLEAR TARGET
We have to stay up, and we knew our league would be going through tough times, even in terms of the standings. I like to be optimistic, so I don’t think about what might happen if we lose tomorrow or in the future. We’re realistic and working, knowing we’re facing a very strong opponent. We need to weather the storm by staying focused, as I always say. Against Roma, you can only win by winning more duels than your opponent. So far, they’ve perhaps capitalized on fewer created chances than Gasperini’s Atalanta, but it’s not true that they’re not producing much, which is a trademark of the Piedmontese coach.

KILICSOY IS GROWING UP
“Semih has top-level quality. He has the potential to climb the pecking order, especially given his injuries up front. We’re working on him, putting him in the role he often plays with the Turkish Under-21s. He’s increasingly understanding the environment he’s been playing in. We want to give him the ideal conditions to express himself, removing some constraints so he doesn’t feel tied down. We know what he can give us, and he’ll definitely get his chances from here on out. We’ve been aware of what he can bring us ever since we signed him.”

ESPOSITO GUEST STAR
“Esposito has always been lively to me, and I’ve rarely had anything to say about his performances. He’s been scoring goals lately, unlike at the start of the season, and that’s always crucial for a striker. But he has quality and talent. He shouldn’t be limited by that, but rather make decisions. He’s not terribly constrained tactically. When he has that outlook, that joy in playing, he can truly achieve great things.”