PRESS ROOM | Pisacane after the victory

Cagliari coach Fabio Pisacane’s analysis after the 4-0 victory against Hellas Verona at Unipol Domus.

BIG MOMENT
“The boys are going strong, and doing so at a time when we have key players out is gratifying, but we have to keep our heads down and work. We need to keep pushing. Serie A is treacherous and you can’t get distracted. Hellas were also making things difficult today, and we knew what they could do because we’d studied their games. The promise to the locker room, as Esposito mentioned? I have a great relationship with Seba, you know. Before Florence, I told the boys that every point would bring a day off. I’ll keep my word, but not next week, because we have to work hard and not take anything for granted. I tried to make the boys understand that we’ve grown through suffering, through fighting, through being able to put our heart and soul into every obstacle, that we’re not stronger and we haven’t changed our shape; we’re simply improving all together.”

A SENSE OF BELONGING
“I played for Cagliari. I’m curious and attentive to the world I was playing in, and I always have been. I think every player and coach must understand the value of a jersey they wear, the symbol they represent. Games can be lost, Cagliari will lose more games, but people recognize you by the way you lose. I’ve always said that everything could be missing, except attitude. I know there was some mistrust towards me, but that was normal, being a rookie. However, from the start, I’ve always said that spirit and attitude couldn’t be lacking for people to follow us as they do.

THE MATCH
“Beyond the score, which in my opinion is even too wide, I think we did simple things in an orderly fashion tonight. Today’s game was tricky, we worked well together, taking away Orban’s depth first and foremost. It was also important to keep a clean sheet, which is why I was preaching calm after the fourth goal. This team has a very precise methodology within it, today we read the situation well once we were in numerical superiority, and the idea that we’ve been carrying forward since July 10th emerged, finding the third man. We couldn’t afford to reopen the game, so we shouldn’t have forced it, because in games it takes very little to rekindle the flame of hope in the opponent and end up panicking. Now we’re taking a break because the team hasn’t rested more than two consecutive days in over a month, we’ll get back on track on Wednesday and focus on Roma. We’ve improved, but survival is still up for grabs.”

BEWARE OF RELAXING
“Now we have to keep working, understand our opponents, follow our match plans, and be good at getting points and not just compliments, as has sometimes happened. Football deceives you, and we can’t let our guard down. I don’t want to sound humble, but we need to be realistic and pragmatic.

SUPER KILICSOY
“Kilicsoy is a natural talent. Every game surprises us and can give us something different. We need to nurture him, wait for him, enjoy him, and see what he can give us. He, like his teammates, is pushing hard and proving that with perseverance, in addition to innate qualities, you can go far.”

GOAL COOPERATIVE
Having so many players score is definitely satisfying, but in the end, what matters is scoring. I said after the Genoa match that I would have slept normally because I saw some important things and signs in the team. Getting nine points in three games wasn’t a given, though. I’d be presumptuous if I said I expected them or that they were the goal, but I definitely understood that just playing well and getting plaudits while failing to score wasn’t enough. We’re working hard, growing through suffering, with humility, understanding the moments and our opponents so we’re not caught off guard, even in tricky matches like tonight’s.

DECISIVE TEAM
“We’re working well in managing the squad. Today, I’d like to highlight the way Zappa came onto the pitch, providing the assist, and the many players who are ready at any moment. We’re finding some certainties. We have a solid backbone right now, but it’s not as if we’ve found the perfect fit now; we’re simply enjoying consistent performances and the use of many players. We think we’ve lost key players at some key moments—like Belotti and Felici—or Luperto, who at a certain point wasn’t, in my opinion, what we know. We’re pursuing our vision, but at certain times, the players or the choices can change. The strength of this team is the team, which has room for improvement by working this way with a spirit of sacrifice and focus, all together.

ZÈ PEDRO IS GROWING
“I’m happy because he’s doing very well. I’m pleased with how he’s growing and how his teammates are gaining confidence in him, seeking him out and finding him in the right way. This applies to him as well as other teammates who are developing well.”