Pavoletti with Radio TV Serie A
“Being here in Cagliari is like a gift. The first year wasn’t all roses and sunshine, although we ended it with good results and survival. However, I hadn’t yet managed to truly win the hearts of the Sardinians, both on and off the field. It was a bit of a strange thing for me because, more or less, in my career, even when I haven’t played, I’ve always managed to bond with the environment and the city right away. It’s as if Cagliari studied me, first wanting to understand what kind of man I was. Then, real love was born. The Sardinians have given me everything of themselves, and I can’t do anything but reciprocate.”
Rossoblù captain Leonardo Pavoletti shared his story in a long interview with Radio TV Serie A: anecdotes, curiosities, and reflections on the past, present, and future.
LIVING THE CITY
“Here, the climate is perfect, the city is very nice, life is good, people respect you, it’s a truly beautiful way of living: I really appreciate this, and many of my teammates appreciate it too. Even those who have left usually return as soon as they can, which is a sign that, in my opinion, it’s a unique place. Many times, people don’t talk about it elsewhere in Italy, but Cagliari is gradually gaining more recognition, and people are starting to realize its true value. I’m happy to live it and contribute to spreading this message.”
ADOPTED SARD
“I feel like a Cagliaritano, I’ve started thinking and living in the city like they do. There’s definitely a strong Livornese part of me, and I’m very proud of that, but I’m becoming more and more Sardinian, and I like that too. The beauty of being here is that every day is a day where, if there’s a problem, we face it together, we look at each other, we talk. This makes you feel human, not just a player: it’s what I’ve always looked for, and here I’ve found it.”
IN MEMORY OF RIVA
“I want to remember the great Gigi, we recently celebrated a mass in his memory. What unites us is the love for Cagliari, the values we’ve recognized and found in this city, like living with as little anxiety or rush as possible, unlike big cities. The ability to live everyday life like a normal person: going to the bar, having a chat with a friend—these are things that, in my opinion, you can’t always buy with money, but you can only live. It’s the beauty of simplicity.”
FROM RANIERI TO NICOLA
“Coach Ranieri was essential, without him, we wouldn’t be where we are today. He gave us and taught us a lot. The transition to another coach wasn’t easy: in my opinion, few people could have taken his mantle and gained credibility not only in our eyes but also in the eyes of the fans. Coach Davide Nicola, in my opinion, is doing an amazing job. He’s a person of values, very simple, he looks you in the eye and tells you what he thinks. We immediately felt positive things, it did us good, and we didn’t feel a break from Ranieri. Coach Nicola didn’t want to force the situation, especially with those who stayed from last year, and day by day, he integrated into our group. He works very well, we are enjoying the way he works on the field, and so there have been several factors that made us say: ‘We’re in good hands again, let’s follow him 100%.’”
ROSSOBLÙ FUTURE
“Finishing my career here is a very concrete possibility. By signing a two-year contract at 35, that’s the perspective. However, I wouldn’t want to drag it on too much. I accept the bench, but not 100%, because it’s normal: I’m still a footballer, and a footballer wants to play. I try to be the glue between the club and the team, between the team and the coach, and also try to solve some issues by being the older brother of the team, sometimes being affectionate and sometimes strict, always with respect for my teammates. I do this gladly because I understand that my role now is also that. But I want to be a footballer, I feel like a footballer. And as long as I feel this fire… I want to still be a protagonist. I think I still have a lot to give on the field, even though my numbers aren’t what they used to be. The mind, the hunger, is still the same. On the other hand, though, I wouldn’t want to get to the point where people say ‘there’s still Pavoletti,’ that would be a burden, never. My personal goal now is to win a few more man of the match awards, at least one from now until the end of the season. I want to be useful to the team: getting some personal joys every now and then would mean bringing joy to my teammates. Because most likely, those would be important goals to keep us in the league. We live day by day to achieve this goal, and I’d love to give our people a more peaceful survival, but if needed, we have the guts to fight until the end.”
THE FULL VIDEO INTERVIEW
