PRESS ROOM | Captain Deiola talks with the media

Press conference at the Crai Sport Center for Alessandro Deiola, the rossoblù captain met the media during the pre-season retreat currently taking place in Assemini, which precedes the second phase (from 22 July) scheduled in Ponte di Legno.

THE NEW ROLE OF CAPTAIN
“The armband is above all a formality to be brought onto the pitch, because the true leader is the group and daily behaviour, on and off the pitch, comes before the armband itself. Within this team there are many teammates who can fill this role, I’m thinking of Zappa and Caprile. Having said this, it has a high symbolic value and is very important for me, I am ready to take on this responsibility. In recent years I have been lucky enough to be Leonardo Pavoletti’s right-hand man and to understand how this task should be interpreted. It is a wonderful challenge and I’m happy to start it.”

EXAMPLES FROM THE PAST
“The handover has an enormous significance. There will be work to do, to settle into this role even better, but I feel energized and I’m happy in this new dimension. It’s a sense of responsibility that I carry with great pride, because I grew up with the dream of becoming someone for this team and for this club. In this month of vacation, knowing that this new path would begin, I thought about the many captains I had here. The first name that comes to mind is Daniele Conti, who I also admired as a child and fan, but I think also to Leonardo Pavoletti and to all those who wore this armband in the years in which I was a Cagliari player. I consider myself a person who observes a lot and I tried to take something from each of them.”

THE PERSONAL PATH IN ROSSOBLÙ
“I often reflect on my path, I thought about my departure from the youth sector and everything that brought me here. You know me, I’m quite stubborn: I always wanted to stay in Cagliari to carve out a role for myself in what is my home, Cagliari and Sardinia, so as not to be just a passing player. Today I look at my path with pride. In the end, it’s not so much the mistakes you make during the journey, but the final result. If you have desire and determination you can achieve your goals.”

PISACANE’S WORK
“The Coach, as I’ve said many times, is a very well-prepared coach. He’s someone who’s never satisfied and always looks for the best solution to help us grow, while also finding positives to build on. Personally, I’ve never had any doubts about him. He’s given us so much, and we thank him for the season he’s given us. He never gives up, works hard, and always wants to improve. We’re all united to achieve our goals again this year and improve.”

NEW ARRIVALS AND JOINING THE GROUP
“Very well-prepared and competitive boys have arrived. Daily work will be important to integrate them as soon as possible into the schemes and our game ideas. I have already spoken with them, I already see them very well integrated. We, the more experienced, have the task of making them feel at home immediately. Important players have arrived, who can allow us to do even better than last season. My tactical position? My career and last season confirm that I often do not have a well-defined role, I always make myself available to the coach’s needs. I am fortunate to be able cover multiple positions and I adapt to role changes without problems, trying to give my best.”

A FAREWELL TO THE CAPITAINS WHO HAVE LEFT CAGLIARI
“I want to thank all the guys who were with us last season. Until the last day they honored this shirt and they deserve good luck for the rest of their careers. We had a lot of fun and we were a really united group in the locker room. I’m convinced that whoever arrived now won’t be very different from whoever was there before and I’m sure we’ll have fun this year too. Belotti? Andrea needs no introduction. He had an important role within the group and made a significant contribution before of the injury but also afterwards with his example and the desire to represent these colors every day. At the moment there are discussions with the club and we will see what will happen.”

PHYSICAL CONDITION
Last season, physically, was very difficult for me. It started out very well, but then it probably became the worst of my career. I had to deal with two serious injuries that kept me off the pitch for about four months, and it wasn’t easy. Over the summer, I worked hard to get back into top condition, also focusing on prevention in the areas where I had injured myself. Today, I’m feeling pretty good. The important thing is that we’re all ready for the start of the season. Some players start out stronger, while others may take a little longer. We’re working hard to get up to speed and be ready for the first competitive match.

THE GROWTH OF CAGLIARI
“Every change is born with the aim of growing and bringing something positive. The hope is to improve every day, both as a team and as a club. This is the path that we must continue to follow with great unity and unity of intent at every level, on and off the pitch, each with their own role.”