Two days ahead of the away match at the "Ferraris," coach Luca D’Angelo spoke during the customary pre-match press conference: "It’s truly unfortunate that our fans won’t be able to attend the game in Genoa. We know many of them would have come to support the team. Unfortunately, that won’t be the case, which adds an extra layer of responsibility for us—to bring joy to our supporters from afar. Considering it’s a football match, it would have been great for both teams to have representation in the stands, so this is a real shame.
My first match as coach of this team was against Sampdoria at Marassi. We didn’t deserve to lose that day, but since then, it’s been a long and challenging journey. I think that together, with the support of our fans, we’ve made significant progress to reach where we are today.
Sampdoria is an important team going through a difficult period, which only increases the challenges of the match. It won’t be easy to predict their lineup since they have a new coach and will undoubtedly be highly motivated. We’ll need to step onto the pitch with the right approach from the very first moment, both tactically and mentally.
The points at stake are the same for both teams, and we’ll do everything possible to secure them. To achieve that, we must adapt quickly to the atmosphere in the stadium, which will certainly be noisy. We need to enter the match with the determination to deliver a strong performance.
The psychological aspect is crucial for an athlete. Salvatore Esposito is doing well in this regard. He plays with great confidence, which benefits his set-piece execution. We’re very pleased with his performance. He’s also been taking more shots recently, as we’ve worked to show him that he has exceptional shooting ability. We expect him, and all our midfielders, to take more shots because it’s a vital aspect of the game.
Who will play in defense? For Saturday, I’ll make the best decisions based on my players’ current form, considering the characteristics of the opposing attackers. That will guide my choice for the defensive lineup.
I believe league standings are easier to analyze in other sports. In ours, teams face each other twice a year, and we must focus primarily on our own matches without getting too distracted by others. Concentrating on our journey is what can ultimately make the difference.
It’s true that the three teams ahead of us are doing extremely well right now—the standings reflect that. However, every match is highly competitive. Sassuolo has recently been winning games with relative ease, but for the rest of us, it’s always a battle. That includes us, who, apart from our last match, have always had to fight hard to secure three points".
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