🎙️INTERVIEW | Folorunsho talks to the media

Coach Pisacane, Adam Obert, and Michael Folorunsho were the stars of this evening’s “Meet & Greet” with fans, held at the EYE Sport – Cagliari Calcio Store in Largo Carlo Felice, Cagliari. On the sidelines of the meeting, before the autograph and selfie session, Folorunsho spoke to the media. These are his statements:

TOWARDS THE TOP OF THE CONDITION
There were some setbacks on the way to peak physical condition: I started training late, then the injury in December kept me out for a while. It’s a shame, because at that time I was starting to feel really good. The important thing, however, is to always get back to work, to be ready to continue contributing to the team. I hope to be able to offer the best version of myself as soon as possible. I feel good, I didn’t think I’d be able to reach this level of fitness immediately after returning from injury, since I was out for two months. I recovered fairly quickly, obviously I’m not 100% yet, but it’s such an important moment in the championship. So you have to give it your all and have maximum concentration.

A FILM-RELEASE GOAL
“The goal against Parma? At first, my teammates looked at me in amazement: ‘What a goal!?!’ No one would have ever expected a goal like that. I’d only been on the pitch a few minutes, coming back from a long injury, and I didn’t feel the legs to sprint. I glanced at the goalkeeper, he was off his line; I looked at Obert on the other flank, and I thought he couldn’t get there in time to receive a cross. At that point, I said to myself: ‘I’ll shoot, I’ll try.’ Luckily, it went well, and it turned out to be a fantastic goal. How many times have I watched it? Quite a few times.”

THE GOOD OF THE TEAM
I started out as a midfielder, but over the course of my career I’ve been employed in other roles. Already at Verona, for example, I played as an attacking midfielder, albeit an atypical one. For me, the important thing is to make myself available to the coach, to the team, ready for any eventuality. This year we’re facing many difficulties, each of us is trying to make our contribution, even adapting. The attacks on social media? They can hurt, not everyone has a strong character. I’m a guy who doesn’t spend much time on social media, I consider myself quite prepared, experienced, so I’ve been fortunate enough to overcome certain moments. My situation was related to the pitch, unfortunately it happened, even if we all want to be perfect in life. In any case, the matter is closed.

THE AFFECTION OF CAGLIARI
I’ve changed teams several times in my career: every season it’s not easy to arrive in a new place, get re-established, and meet new teammates. I’d like to spend a longer period with a team: I’m enjoying myself here in Cagliari. I immediately made an excellent impact with the club, the manager, my teammates, the fans, and the entire Cagliari community. Everyone welcomed me. I’m really happy with the choice I made last summer. My future here? I’m on loan with an option to buy. We’ll have time to think about it, but not now. Now there’s only Cagliari, the team, and our goal to achieve.

GO, RIYAD
“I’ve already had the chance to speak with Idrissi. We’re sorry, it’s yet another serious injury this season; it seems like fate is really against us. Riyad is a strong guy, I wish him the best of luck. We’re all behind him.”

THE PERFORMANCE AGAINST COMO
“La sconfitta contro il Como? Onestamente c’è un po’ di rammarico. Trovato il pareggio, c’è stato un momento della gara in cui si è pensato addirittura a qualcosa di più. Come ci è capitato spesso, la prestazione in ogni caso c’è stata: abbiamo giocato contro una squadra molto importante, quest’anno il Como sta facendo vedere delle cose importanti. Noi, sia all’andata – dove abbiamo pareggiato – sia al ritorno, siamo riusciti quasi a neutralizzare il loro gioco. Siamo dispiaciuti perché avremmo voluto portare a casa dei punti: ma la squadra è viva, ci sono le prestazioni. Domenica c’è una gara fondamentale, dobbiamo farci trovare pronti”.

THE PISA CHALLENGE
“I scored against Pisa in the first leg, but it’s not a personal issue, but a team issue. While I’d certainly like to score again, without getting injured on the goal, obviously. The important thing will be to go to Pisa to put in a great performance and earn as many points as possible. The standings shouldn’t be misleading: for example, Hellas Verona also beat Bologna in the last round. We certainly won’t underestimate Pisa; they’re a team that deserved to earn more points than they have. We’ll respect them, but we’ll also try to earn their respect.”

ALL TOGETHER
“The team is working well. There are many young players who are demonstrating their qualities, they’ve shown up ready. They’re making an incredible contribution. It’s a strong group that overcomes difficulties: as the coach always says, absences shouldn’t become an excuse, and this team is proving it. But it’s not easy, every now and then you lose members: it’s not easy emotionally either, we’re a family. So it’s time for us all to come together, team, fans. Stay close to us: we won’t give up, and we want to achieve this relegation.”