PRESS ROOM | Fabio Pisacane after Bologna-Cagliari

Cagliari coach Fabio Pisacane spoke to the media at the Dall’Ara stadium following the goalless draw with Bologna. Below are his comments.

ON THE MATCH
“What we produced in the first half leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. It’s disappointing not to have scored, but today I look at the glass half full and see many positive things. I’m taking home a great recovery compared to other away games like the last two. The team has understood that details matter to stay up. We are one of the few teams to have forced Bologna to have a very low xG. I thank Italiano for the kind words, they give me great confidence and the desire to work even harder for the future. Last year we both won the Coppa Italia with the Rossoblù, a beautiful coincidence and a curiosity that makes us smile.”

PROUD OF THE GROUP
“When I think about where we started and the difficulties along the way, I can say I’m proud of these guys, who once again surpassed everything today, starting with the opponent, who has both quality and quantity. I’m proud of this group, guys with extraordinary strength of spirit. This strength has allowed us to get this far. As I’ve always said, now we must continue until the end with the desire, hunger, and commitment that distinguishes us to finally achieve our goal. Before the Atalanta match, I think we would have signed to get four points from two games. We’ve undoubtedly all improved. Those who come on always play excellently, which is a sign of a strong, united group, with technical and human values.”

NEVER LET YOUR GUARD DOWN
“Personally, I always try to be myself. I know that sometimes my words can be harsh, in an attempt to provoke and inspire, but I believe that the players, especially the young ones, need to keep their self-esteem high. We reached the top, with three wins in a row, gained a good margin, and then we stalled a bit. This means that the hunger must always be there; you can never let the tension drop, but the team responded and worked hard. I’m convinced that each of them will be proud at the end of the season. We took risks—the club in selecting me, and I in working with so many young players and through so much adversity. We’ll get past this year, and then, regardless of Pisacane or another coach, there’s work to do to build a bright future. I know the fans want to always win and always have more, but coming here to Bologna with two strikers at our disposal plus Kilicsoy, whom I consider a trequartista, and playing a certain type of game is not easy.”

NEW PROJECT, TOTALLY NEW IDEAS
“How much do I feel like I’ve grown from July to today? I’ve always lived day by day. I love the adrenaline of these challenges, I love the chaos, it makes me feel alive. If things are hectic, I get excited, but if they’re dull, I don’t like it and I shut down. I know that our players at times would like to see something different, but this is a new year. We’ve started a new project with fresh ideas and many young players, so the future can still be important, regardless of the individuals. There’s work that can be continuous, regardless of the players on the pitch and on the bench. Deiola, Zappa, Mina, Dossena, so many guys who know what it means to wear the Cagliari shirt, are essential elements on and off the pitch. We’ve had a lot of injuries, those who have come on have always given their all. You can’t always rest, and it pays to pay a price during the year, especially when you have so many injuries like we have. For example, I congratulate Sulemana today for the way he came on today; it wasn’t easy when he was fresh and in that moment.”

ABOUT YOUNG PLAYERS AND STARTING XI CHOICES
“My medal for the many young players? I’d share it with all the guys, from the first to the last. We’ve fielded so many of them, and they mean a lot to our project. If I had to name one, I’d say Idrissi for his career, for what he’s built over time, and for the bad luck he had to encounter at a certain point. Staying up isn’t a given yet, we can’t let our guard down. We’re close to our goal, but we definitely have to go after it by playing every game with the spirit we saw today. Dossena? Rodriguez had a quadriceps problem yesterday. This morning was the last check. Juanchi confirmed he was available, but I preferred Alberto, whom I know very well. He’s always trained like a professional and worked brilliantly, so I knew I could count on him.”