Parma, 24 September 2025 - Carlos Cuesta's words after Parma vs. Spezia in the Round of 16 of the Coppa Italia Frecciarossa.
“The thing that I liked most was winning, the thing that I didn't like was the level of performance. Set pieces? It's a way of scoring that is important to us, and a positive aspect. The rhythm in the second half? An important factor is that we only played 72 hours ago, and we are not used to this. We aren't used to playing during the week, and it is definitely new for the boys. This affects the play, you cannot press as high, you have to defend more, and it seems like there's fatigue but it's more linked to how the game's going than the physicality. The team did their all, and they showed that right to the end, and this time we got our reward. The Tardini atmosphere helped us a lot, our fans can help us in the next two games, which are really important, and we need them. Britschgi and Estévez? Sascha is a player with great potential who manages the ball well with real calmness. In the defensive phase, he is great in 1v1s, and he is improving things that he hadn't worked on much before. He doesn't have much high-level professional experience but we saw his talent and we hope that we can support him. Nahuel is very smart, he is a real leader and he has a very positive influence which helps us, on and off the pitch. I am also happy for him. The performance was not entirely what we wanted, but there was a great reaction to the error and any challenges. This was a positive for me, especially though the performance wasn't the best. We managed to get into the Round of 16 and we will aim to have a great game against the reigning champions in December. Our path there hasn't been easy. The attacking phase? From the start of the season, we have tried both a 3-5-2 and a 3-4-3 depending on the opposition and the players we have. We will keep doing so. Today, the performance wasn't as good as others, but we managed to win without playing that great, which is a sign of growth. Now, we are in the Round of 16 which is a positive, and it has set us up really well for Monday, when the Tardini will have great energy which will push us to play well and get the result. It's a real boost feeling the Tardini's energy when we are struggling and most of all, the players' reactions to adversity. This shows one important thing: heart, and these boys have it in abundance. This gives me real faith, and I see this everyday. Sørensen and Løvik? They always give their all, and it is my fault if we aren't able to help them as much as possible. I am sure that they will help us a lot. Pellegrino's scrum cap? It was just for prevention. I think that winning helps you to win. At times, it isn't that beautiful, but it happens with heart, character and the right attitude. Giovanni Leoni? I want to send a message from me and the whole of Parma for what happened yesterday. Everyone was asking me what would be the worst outcome today: that would've been if something happened like what happened to him. I want to wish him all the best, he is a great lad who has done great things. I am sure that it's an opportunity to grow through the challenges, and he now has to recover, showing Italy and the world what he is capable of'.
