PRESS ROOM | Coach Pisacane before Cagliari-Lecce
The Rossoblù coach met with the media to present Unipol Domus’ match against Lecce, scheduled for Monday evening at 8:45 pm.
COMPATIBILITY AND PERSEVERANCE
“The match against Roma, notwithstanding the value of the opponent, gave us some simple cues: already in the heat I had said that the team made a lot of mistakes in the last pass. We missed something. It had happened to us before, although during the week we always aim to coach aspects such as compactness in key moments, choices when we have the ball between our feet. And so we did this week as well. The team is giving everything, even going beyond what they have inside: in the long run, playing without so many starters takes something out of you. We are here, however, to find solutions and not to feel sorry for ourselves, just as I always tell the boys.”
THE STRENGTH OF THE GROUP
“In addition to those of Borrelli, Belotti, Felici, Deiola and Folorunsho, there is the absence of Gaetano due to an adductor problem; Zé Pedro felt a calf discomfort. These are two players who in the first part of the season, also due to non-technical issues — for example, Zé Pedro had to undergo meniscus surgery — had little minute playing time, but in the last period they “pulled the strings.” Some light had gone on about them, for sure, but I didn’t think they could stop. Sorry, but if who is missing is important, even more so is who I will have available: the strength of Cagliari is in the group. It will be an opportunity for those who are eager to contribute.”
THE IMPORTANCE OF MINA
“Yerry is fine, he trained very well this week. He was coming off three games in which he was used every minute, for the full 90 minutes and beyond. We needed to manage him; even rest is training. He’ll definitely be in the game tomorrow; it’s natural that his leadership is very important to us. We’re supporting him to ensure he has a strong final season and takes him to the World Cup: beyond making his contribution to the club, that’s his goal.”
WELCOME, ALBERTO!
Immediately after the Roma game, I congratulated Dossena. After 11 months without playing a single minute, after an injury like his—I, too, experienced a similar situation as a player—it wasn’t easy at all. He held his ground, and he grew over the course of the match: it’s not a trivial matter. Of course, after such a long time, it’s normal for a player to have to regain some distance on the pitch. But even at the top of his game, against an opponent like Roma, certain readings can be misread. Those who play can make mistakes, those who don’t play never make mistakes. He needed to play, to get his legs moving: he’ll do better in the future, but this, in general, regardless of the minutes he’s played. Welcome back, Alberto.
READY FOR THE MATCH
The first leg was a final, like any direct clash. Tomorrow will be one too, but I wouldn’t call it a match point for us: it’s an important match against an organized and aggressive team. There are still many games to go. The Lecce match was different: it was one of the first matches of the season, there was the transfer market, teams change skin. What’s certain is that we’ll face the same difficulties; it will be a battle built on details and reading, between two teams hungry for points. We respect Lecce, like everyone else; it’s in our way of thinking. Standings calculations? I hope none of us do them; in football you can’t relax. The team knows this; it’s a group that has already navigated the storm, it knows how treacherous Serie A is: therefore, I’m convinced the group won’t make this mistake. Even more so if the team is missing so many players.
DI FRANCESCO’S LECCE
Cagliari didn’t score a goal in the first fifteen minutes, yet they conceded five? The numbers aren’t debatable; it’s something that needs to be addressed. I hope something changes starting tomorrow. Lecce are second in long balls, alternating between pressing and counterattacking. If you put them in a position to play, they can do it; they have Serie A players with personality. Our match plan will try to leverage as many incidents as possible: for example, by taking away the depth of a player like Cheddira. I’m facing an experienced coach; the misunderstandings between us when I was his player are certainly a thing of the past, we’ve made that clear. I like the idea of facing a coach who’s been coaching in the top division for years and who has left me with something technically and tactically.
MORE SOLUTIONS
“Mazzitelli, given his characteristics, gives me more options, even though Luca is also among those who are pushing hard at the moment: we’re limited, the matches last over 90 minutes. Maybe Gaetano’s injury will allow me to change the structure. I’ll wait for tomorrow’s final training session and then I’ll take stock. Adopo and Sulemana could be a solution: Sulemana is ready to start, but he’s certainly not the only option. There’s a technical project we’ve been working on since July and, despite the difficulties of the match, we have some interesting young players who are training well, are well-versed in the mechanisms, and we might even see some of them from the start. We’re always looking for solutions, looking beyond the problems. Young players bring us freshness and enthusiasm. The refereeing controversies? I don’t get involved in media debates. I decided from the start not to talk about the referees. When a coach has an incident in his favor, if it wasn’t so clear and clear or even non-existent, he should go to the press room and highlight it, as a colleague of mine also said. Football is certainly losing ground. credibility, and we need to regain it. I hope we can make fewer mistakes.”
