PRESS CONFERENCE | Mister Pisacane ahead of Udinese-Cagliari

The Rossoblù head coach met with the media at the CRAI Sport Center to preview the “Bluenergy” clash with Udinese. His words:

CHOICES AND SOLUTIONS
“Trepy, Idrissi, Felici and Nzola will not be among the players called up. We agreed with the player to use the international break to give him a sort of mini pre-season camp. The same applies to other players who, for different reasons, have missed some training sessions, or those who – like M’bala – arrived in the final days of the transfer window. The aim is to get them into the best possible condition after the break. I spoke to Daniel: he has trained well, he is calm and focused. If I feel it is appropriate to play him, he will. How difficult is it to change a line-up that has performed so well? You can follow the enthusiasm, the saying ‘you don’t change a winning team’, perhaps even overlooking the fact that someone may have put in a performance below expectations. But even in a win there can be things that did not go well. There are considerations to be made, different assessments based on the physical condition of the players available. That is also what makes being a coach difficult. Certainly, you cannot make your decisions solely on the basis of what happened a week earlier or chase that ‘magic’: you have to be rational. I still have a few doubts. You may see the same line-up, or a different one with some changes, but always with consistency”.

DEFENCE AND MIDFIELD
“Mina is doing well and, compared to a week ago, he has even more work in his legs. Deiola and Rodríguez put in another great performance in Bergamo. But my decisions cannot be guided by gratitude or by fixed hierarchies: I choose what the team needs, especially considering the specific game. At the moment, some of our players have a few minor physical issues, so we will see whether they can recover fully by tomorrow. Yerry remains a player of great technical and charismatic value for the team: he will be there in Udine, just as he will be in other matches, and he will return to the pitch. The midfield? The characteristics of our midfielders this year allow us to look for certain solutions. The more they play together, the better they get to know one another and the more they can perform. Winks is the natural holding midfielder we have been missing in recent years; Romano is a young player who, despite having a specific position, is also free to move around; Adopo can play both inside and outside, he defends according to the opposition, and he is a valuable tactical key who allows us to cover the pitch in different ways. For a team like ours, that is important”.

ON THE OPPOSITION
“This is not the first time in recent years that Udinese have had a somewhat complicated start to the season, but the league campaign – for us as well as for everyone else – is not decided in September, and the opening matches cannot change a team’s objectives. Udinese have physical and technical qualities that put them immediately behind those top-tier teams competing for European places. At the same time, though, they are a team with weaknesses, as we all are. We will have to be good at making the most of our strengths in order to expose them”.

SOLID FOUNDATIONS
“I always say that we need to keep our feet on the ground, but that does not mean looking down: we need solid foundations so that we can always look higher. That is a mantra I try to pass on to the team. Then it is right for the fans to dream, within the realms of what is realistically possible for us: it would not be right to dampen their enthusiasm. Many of them will be in Udine too: they will cross the sea and travel many kilometres. We cannot promise a result, but we can guarantee a performance worthy of our people”.

ROSSOBLÙ PLAYERS WITH THEIR NATIONAL TEAMS
“Seeing our players with their respective national teams, first and foremost with Italy, does justice to the work we are trying to carry out and to our people, and it is a source of pride. It is a reward for everyone, it brings prestige to the Club. As a coaching staff, we are undoubtedly happy and satisfied. It is recognition of our work, and we want to put the lads in the best possible conditions to keep improving. The decision to group the international breaks together? I am in favour. It is also important for the national team coach to be able to work with the team for a longer consecutive period and carry out a small training programme: you have more opportunities to make an impact on the players’ mindset”.

JUANCHI WITH URUGUAY
“In one of the first conversations I had with Rodríguez, I openly told him that his goal should be to make it into the national team as soon as possible. He looked at me somewhat bemused; for him, playing in the Celeste shirt was a dream. I am pleased that he achieved it so quickly. He arrived here as a boy and he is already a man. That is no coincidence: against Hellas, I gave him the captain’s armband. He is a captain. After Bergamo, I told him that I had also liked his work without the ball; he reminded me of Diego Lopez. We often talk about his fellow Uruguayans, about Mister Lopez and Nahitan Nández. I think Juan still has to show his full potential. He does not yet realise just how good he is. Credit for all of this must also go to the people who brought him here: they brought us another little gem, and that is no small thing”.

ON DANIEL MALDINI
“I expect Daniel to be included in the national team coach’s next squad. He deserves it. I honestly did not think he was this good, I have to tell you. I had spoken to his former coaches, and they had already described him to me as a player with crystal-clear talent, but coaching him is something else entirely. He is a joy to watch. This morning I was watching him, even during something as simple as a run in the activation: it is something extraordinary”.

QUESTIONS FROM THE ISLANDERS
The press conference concluded with questions and curiosities from two Rossoblù fans who have already joined the Islanders membership programme:
Anna Cabriolu: “How much can the trust that is building around the team influence the group’s development? How important is it for the players to feel the fans’ support at this stage of the season?”

Mister: “The trust of our fans can give us energy, courage and an even greater sense of belonging, especially to a young group like ours. Our people give us an enormous boost, as long as enthusiasm becomes responsibility rather than pressure”.
Christian Mei: “In football, people tend to talk mostly about formations and tactics, but the build-up to a match is also about anticipation, travelling and emotions. Mister, do you have a particular ritual or habit that you never give up before an away game?”
Mister: “I do not have any superstitions. But I always do two things: when the team goes out for the warm-up, I isolate myself. I do the same during home games. I try to think about anything I might have missed, and then pass it on to the lads when they come back into the dressing room. The other thing is that before going to the stadium, I call my family. That is my refuge. It helps me relieve the tension and reminds me that what I am about to do, even though it is the best job in the world, is still a sport”.