PRESS ROOM | Pisacane before Roma-Cagliari

On the eve of the match between Roma and Cagliari, Fabio Pisacane analyzes the team’s current situation, touching on the need to regain consistency, decisions regarding the lineup, and the challenges posed by the trip to the capital.

CAGLIARI’S MOMENT

“We must always maintain a clear-eyed perspective: in football, things often have a way of balancing out. Some teams are performing beyond expectations, while others are going through a tougher spell—but the situation can shift rapidly from one match to the next. Our group still needs to grow and truly grasp what the fans and the community expect from us, so that we can provide the right response. If we stand united—both inside and outside the dressing room—we can overcome this. I’m truly grateful to the supporters; in our last match, I saw a fanbase that clearly understood the situation we’re in. This team isn’t perfect and certainly has its limitations, but if we all pull in the same direction, we can ease the pressure and get back to smiling through our results—just as we were doing until very recently.”

STATS AND ANALYSIS OF THE PERFORMANCES

«From a statistical point of view we conceded 100 shots and conceded three goals in the first games in which we won. In the last few games, however, we have conceded fewer shots but conceded more goals. In the first six races we weren’t simply luckier, because you have to earn your luck and you have to be good at bringing the episode to your side. Against Monza and Bologna we dribbled more and remained higher than the matches against Juventus and Udinese, the result was different as were the evaluations from outside by those who watch and analyze. Performance must be examined carefully, trying to understand what to improve. We must remain clear-headed and regain that attention and spirit that sometimes disappear when we go behind, and this must not happen.”

CRITICISM AND MANAGING THE SITUATION

«I have a duty to listen to criticism and then decide clearly. In Monza the team gave the sensation of completely exiting the match, but this doesn’t mean that against Bologna I wanted to limit the damage from the start by playing defensively. In the last two matches, against Monza and Bologna, we recorded a higher PPDA than in the previous ones, a sign of greater intensity in pressing. There were also aspects to evaluate in the management of possession. Having the ball means everything and nothing: if you don’t enhance what you build in the first part of the pitch, the work becomes evanescent. Inside us we know that this is a moment that could have happened. The important thing is to remain clear-headed and regain the attention and spirit necessary to face difficulties.”

THE OPPONENT: AS ROMA BY GASPERINI

«Gasperini is a coach who gives a very clear identity to his teams. Roma are a team that are unlikely to go down, but they are not perfect just as there are no – I think – perfect teams in any context. We will have to be good at identifying and exploiting its few weak points. It is a team that exposes itself to some risks, has great physical strength and the ability to recover meters of the pitch with ease even when it finds itself unbalanced or out of position.”

THE CALENDAR AND THE NEED TO REACT

«In football, sometimes, playing straight away can be lucky. The timetable is difficult, but we must keep our antenna straighter and raise our level of attention. For me it’s always positive to be back on the pitch, especially after a defeat.”

FAZZINI

“There is no issue here. He hasn’t played much over the last year and a half, but since he joined us in July, he has consistently found playing time—including in our two Coppa Italia matches. He is currently going through a dip in form, but there is no specific problem beyond tactical decisions made with our shared goal in mind. He is a strong player whom I hold in high regard; it’s no coincidence that he wears the number 10 jersey—he has the qualities to be a decisive factor for Cagliari, and he will be very useful to us this season.”

ADOPO, ROMANO AND FORMATION’S CHOICES

«This year we can count on a roster that allows us to change performers in multiple roles. Since the Udine match we have changed the formation often: we need everyone and we cannot always field the same players or always make the same changes. Then when making choices it is also necessary to consider the opponents, the match plan and the technical choices from the 1st minute as well as during the race. Tomorrow too we will need to put our best foot forward, trying to place the players in the best conditions. I think of Adopo and Romano, who against Bologna played his best game in the role of right midfielder. Apopo gave us a hand because we wanted to close the opponents’ external chains. He is a flexible and dynamic player, who in the past has also acted as an attacking midfielder on the right: he can play different roles.”

OFFENSIVE SOLUTIONS

«Kevin Carlos can be a hypothesis. In the last match the changes had little impact and I’m sorry, because it could have been a good opportunity for those coming off the bench, but it didn’t go that way. Nzola also needs to find playing time and there will be opportunities for him.”

MINA AND THE LEADERS OF THE GROUP

“Yerry is doing well. He possesses leadership, and this team needs players like him—Deiola, Gagliardini, and Caprile—who should serve as an example for the entire group. Mina could start tomorrow.”

WINKS’ CONDITIONS

«With Winks we lose a lot from a technical and tactical point of view: within the squad we don’t have a player with his same characteristics. We must be good at not depending on him. He has a low back pain problem, he’s not one hundred percent and we don’t want to take any risks. Harry will not be called up, as will Felici and Idrissi. Trepy will come with us to Rome.”