🎙️ INTERVIEW | Murelli to “Il Cagliari in diretta”

Cagliari assistant coach Giacomo Murelli spoke on Radiolina’s “Il Cagliari in diretta” program. These are his words:

THE CHOICE OF CAGLIARI
“For twenty-three years, I was Stefano Pioli’s assistant. When he chose to coach in Saudi Arabia last year, I preferred to stay in Italy, and so our professional paths, despite the strong human connection that binds us, diverged. This summer, I spoke with Fabio Pisacane. We’d known each other for some time: I met him in 2010 when he was a player at Chievo Verona, and we immediately established a relationship of mutual respect that has endured over time. So, when he asked me if I’d be available to join the coaching staff as his assistant, I didn’t think twice. I’m delighted with my choice: I’m having a new, important, and rewarding experience. There’s always something to learn, in every situation. I’m very satisfied.”

THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COACH
“With Fabio, there’s a lot of empathy, collaboration, and solidarity: he’s a young coach, full of enthusiasm and desire to succeed. He’s already experienced, he was born ready. My goal is to stay by his side, trying to make as few mistakes as possible. What do we have in common? First of all, the position we played on the pitch as players: we were two defenders, certainly not tall, but we knew how to compensate with cunning and speed, limiting the opponent’s play. When I played for Avellino, which was also one of Fabio’s teams, I had earned the reputation of being “the anti-Maradona”: I marked him four times and it went pretty well. In the fifth game, however, his enormous qualities took over.”

IN MEMORY OF ASTORI
“Yesterday was the anniversary of Davide’s passing. I will never forget that March 4th in Udine. Davide was great in every way, both as a footballer and as a man: it was no coincidence that he was the captain of that Fiorentina team. He was incredible, a wonderful guy, loyal, and available to everyone. I want to remember all of this about him.”

YOUNG RED AND BLUES
We knew Palestra’s qualities; director Angelozzi himself had spoken highly of him, and he had great faith in him. From the moment we saw him in training, it was immediately clear that we were dealing with a talent. The key for a young player is to have consistent performances right from the start: Marco was also good at this right from the start, and he’s been improving. He’s a serious guy; he hasn’t let it go to his head despite so many people talking about him. Like our other young players on the team, he has the ability to work hard, every day, to constantly improve. We have many young players who are making their mark: I’m thinking, for example, of Idrissi, who I already knew from watching him last year at Modena. One of the most pleasant surprises is Liteta. I’d also mention Trepy, who made his Serie A debut with a fantastic goal. These are guys who no longer surprise me: I see them on a daily basis, and they show all their qualities. These are guys who are now ready. For us, letting them play is an added value; we’re proud to be able to launch them.

THE CHALLENGE TO COMO
The match against Como will be a tough one. They’re one of the most fearsome teams in the world, they’re enjoying a great run of form and are capable of causing problems for anyone. In our own small way, with great humility, we’ll try to implement our strategies and do our best to stop them and perhaps even overtake them. We respect Como, but we’ll try to play a trick on them. Fabregas is a very well-prepared coach. He had a great career as a player and started coaching immediately, achieving excellent results. He has great ideas. He’s supported by a major club, which has provided him with some top-notch players: they’re young, yes, but they’re already experienced and of very good quality.