PRESS CONFERENCE | Cagliari-Juventus, Ranieri speaks
Thus Claudio Ranieri after Cagliari’s 2-2 home draw against Juventus.
THE MATCH
“With Juventus it’s never over, it’s a pity because we could have avoided the two goals: the first on a free kick that perhaps wasn’t there, but I leave that to others to comment on, the second on an own goal after a lost ball that we should have managed better… It’s not over, we have to fight and correct the little things that make the difference, as we saw today. If they had told us that in these three games we would have scored five points we would have signed, so let’s go ahead with confidence. Everyone gets what they deserve, we started slow, in the last month and a half we have recovered, now we must complete the work because these people, the whole of Sardinia deserves it.”
ONE PENALTY EACH
“Mina and Gaetano are two penalty takers, I had told Yerry that he would shoot it, then I saw Gaetano wanting it too and I trusted both of them, luckily two happened (laughs ed)”.
DUBIOUS FREE KICK
“Nandez assures me he didn’t touch it, I always wait before judging, that’s how it was and we look forward. Unfortunately on the free kick the barrier failed to repel, I’m sorry but I always look at positivity and the glass half full. I take away from this match the pride and determination of the boys, the application against a great team full of champions. I am very satisfied, regretful because two points would have helped us and brought us closer to salvation, but we do not give up and we continue to chase the goal”.
THE PATH
“You can’t make tables, we need 36-37 points and we have to get there as soon as possible to stay calm. I always tell the team that we mustn’t have regrets, today we played a good game, a difficult one, against one of the big teams in the league. The boys are sorry and dejected, but I told them to think about the good things we did in these three games, continuing to work compactly because Sardinia deserves it, these people deserve our commitment and all together we will remain in Serie A.”
CHOICES AND INDIVIDUALS
“I tried to stay compact by countering at speed and with strength in the spaces. We were good. Mina? He is a player of experience and personality, from day one he made himself well liked by everyone, he has the right mentality, he leads his teammates, he fights, a true leader. We were underwater for a long time, now we’re growing, but the work is not finished. What has clicked? The boys help each other, they talked to each other, and this shows that when a group unites then the episodes go in your favour. Dossena? I have to console not only him, also Nandez for the foul whistled against him after he hadn’t touched Chiesa, I consoled everyone a little bit but it’s ok like this, let’s go ahead, let’s work for the goal”.
