PRESS ROOM | Coach Pisacane on the eve of Parma’s match

Cagliari coach Fabio Pisacane held a press conference on the eve of Parma-Cagliari (Friday, 8:45 PM) to outline the match’s key issues.

THE GENERAL SITUATION
“Only Folorunsho is back, the rest of the injury remains unchanged. Michael could be an alternative in tomorrow’s match plan. He’s unable to start, but that’s normal. However, he can help us and be a weapon during the game. Both Liteta and the two-man midfield can certainly be solutions for the Parma match.”

THE PATH TO SALVATION
As a player, I’ve never made plans, let alone as a coach. I prefer to think game by game, not long-term, but short-term. Every game can bring us closer to our goal. We need to get points, without too much discussion because everything depends on how good we are at doing. We’re part of a very clear and defined project. We’ve developed several young players. We know that Cagliari and Sardinia embrace this team with total passion. Sometimes this love can become pressure that the players feel more than necessary, especially the younger ones. Peace of mind isn’t found in the long term, but in the short term. Every game can bring us closer to our goal, but it’s not right to talk about match points because they aren’t, not at this point in the season. I’d like to once again praise the work these players have done so far and are doing, despite the absences, which are neither trivial nor insignificant. We’re a united, hard-working group, and this deserves everyone’s recognition. I’ll never stop doing it. Let’s focus on the present, which allows us to build a peaceful future. Only through results, game after game, can we give ourselves satisfaction and serenity”.

INDIVIDUALS
“We’re back with Folorunsho. We lost him on December 21st against Pisa right after scoring, and he’s been out for a good two months. We’re happy to have him back with us. I have more options in defense, not just Rodriguez, but we’ve trained well to be ready. We’ll need a dirty and aggressive Cagliari to bring home points. I always see Juanchi on the ball. He has a great personality, contagious enthusiasm, and, like all his teammates, he knows the environment he’s in and how to improve through hard work. Rodriguez can’t wait to play and show off. He wasn’t out for a few games due to his own shortcomings, but because the technical decisions were aimed at achieving a different balance after the defeat in Genoa. If he were to play, I’m convinced he’ll have his say in terms of quality and leadership, which are the characteristics we chose him for. Liteta? He played in Verona in a direct clash and then at Juventus. He doesn’t suffer from pressure, he works with boundless hunger and passion, he knows that football can give him a great opportunity and So he has to keep believing and working. He could definitely be an option in Parma from the start or during the match, but I’ll keep that doubt until the end. Regarding Dossena: we knew the unknowns Alberto could face against Roma. It wasn’t easy to maintain that pace for 90 minutes, and he did it, finishing the game. Then we rationed his playing time. His exclusion against Lecce was almost planned so he could be a full-time starter against Lazio, where we saw the real Alberto.

THE RELATIONSHIP WITH CUESTA
INDIVIDUALS
“Over the past five months, we’ve spoken often with Carlos. We know how much responsibility we have as young coaches, including for the generations of coaches to come. We’re in the midst of a generational change, and it’s not easy for us. We know where we started from and we’re aware of the skepticism we’ve been subjected to. Today, Parma and Cagliari are two teams that stand out for their unique identity. We need to continue along the same path, maintaining a steady course. Parma is well known; already in the first leg, they caused us problems with their strengths. We’ll need to be careful and focused, especially on transitions, where they can hurt you with their quality and athleticism.”

ATTITUDE
“Against Lecce, it wasn’t our best game, as has happened on other occasions, but we’ve never lacked a spirit of sacrifice and dedication. Regardless of who’s playing, the boys try to leave everything on the pitch, and that’s what matters. Sometimes there are opponents, bad days can happen, and there are many variables that determine a result, and you can’t reduce everything to that, nor can you say the team isn’t interested or doesn’t give in just because they lost. We need to make more in-depth assessments.”