Collecchio, 12 December 2025 – Head coach Carlos Cuesta spoke at the press conference previewing Matchday 15 of the Serie A fixture against Lazio, held in the press room at the Mutti Training Center in Collecchio.
CONTINUITY
“Our focus is on the importance of this match and on consolidating the progress we’ve made. To do that, we need points, and we’ll do everything possible to get them. The line-up will be decided tomorrow. For me, continuity is closely linked to our principles and to our intent, both in possession and out of possession. There’s a lot of consistency there; the system is just a means. What we want to express in games is becoming clearer every day, we’re working on it and we hope to show it tomorrow.
Parma not winning at home? We beat Torino, and you don’t always win away either. We want to give our fans a night to celebrate. We know we must stay focused and work extremely hard against a high-quality opponent, but at the same time we want to reward our supporters.
Taking points off teams above us in the table? We did it against Milan and picked up a point, just as we did against Atalanta. Our focus will be on delivering a strong performance to get the result we want. We’re fully focused on that, and we’ll try to transmit it on the pitch in every action.”
RESPECT FOR LAZIO
“Fear of Lazio? There’s no fear, only respect for a great opponent with high quality, both collectively and individually. But we have quality too, especially when we’re clear about what we need to do in the game and how we want to approach it, and when we have our fans behind us supporting us to produce the performance we’re looking for.
Lazio’s system? They have very clear continuity. I expect something similar to what we’ve seen: a Lazio side that likes to keep the ball, play a lot through the middle, look for depth when the timing is right, with rotations and wide movements designed to create problems and one-on-one situations on the flanks. That’s what Lazio are, and that’s what I expect. We’ll try to take the game where we want it and get the result we’re looking for.
My relationship with Maurizio Sarri? I worked in the youth sector (at Juventus, ed.) and I had the opportunity to learn a lot and to watch him every week. Without doubt, he’s a coach with a clear and precise identity and has been successful in many environments. We approach tomorrow’s match with humility, with awareness of what we must do to take the game where we want it, and with maximum determination to do so.”
ORISTANIO AND ONDREJKA
“Oristanio? As with all my relationships with players, everything was handled with complete honesty. As a coach, sometimes you have to make decisions you don’t enjoy, whether in management, selection or system. You have to do what you feel is right for the collective, even if individually it’s not what someone wants. We have a group that is not only healthy but also very aware of what we’re aiming for. We know we have to work hard to achieve our objectives, stay in the division and become a consolidated Serie A team. He was very understanding, he knew it was a collective decision, and there was no issue at all. I’m sorry on a personal level, but I always have to do what I feel is best for the team.
Ondrejka? He can play together with Oristanio. They have different characteristics: one is better at receiving between the lines, the other in one-on-one situations; one has a greater goal threat, the other helps put teammates in positions to score. They share some similarities, and both will have to give us a lot in the short and medium term.”
SQUAD CONDITION AND SYSTEM
“The same players as the last match are available, with the exception of Conde, who is playing with the Primavera, and Troilo, who can return to action. The others are still out. We hope that after the next two weeks Circati will be back; the others are continuing their rehabilitation programmes.
Ondrejka’s condition? He’s on a path to recovery after being out for more than six months. He played 45 minutes against Udinese and has started twice. Now we need continuity to allow him to become more incisive and more important for the team, because we’re convinced he’ll give us a lot.
A back four against Lazio? It’s possible, just as a back five is. We’ll see the system tomorrow. We’re looking to maintain continuity in our playing intentions in all phases, to keep developing our principles and make them increasingly solid.
Estévez’s role? We can also play with a back five with him on the pitch. We have flexibility in that regard, and tomorrow’s choice will be made based on what I see in training and what’s right for the match we’re about to play.”
