Parma, 15 February 2026 – After the victory over Hellas Verona, head coach Carlos Cuesta gave his thoughts:

“One of the most difficult situations in football is to try and attack a low block as compact as the one we faced today. We’ve had to do it ourselves before, so we were well prepared for the challenge. We kept attacking right up until the end, pressuring the edge of the box and bringing real aggression whenever we countered. We knew we had to be patient. It wasn’t easy, but in the end the boys’ persistence and maturity in breaking down such a well-organised block paid off.

The red card changed the course of the match. It meant we had much more of the ball and played higher up the pitch. Even so, we knew they could hurt us with any aerial duel or long ball in behind — that’s how the penalty came about. After that, we had to prioritise balance: staying protected while still countering to unlock the block.

The top player in this team is the group. Their spirit and the way they work through difficulties is outstanding. That’s two wins sealed after the 90th minute now — it shows the resilience and mentality of this squad.

We know there’s still a long way to go. We have a very tough match at San Siro next and we must go there with humility to try to get points. We have to raise our performance levels and be consistent. The boys were mature today and kept going until the end — now we must continue like this.

Survival? This victory, like all ours previously, is a result of the mentality of the group. Individual performances matter, but the win belongs to the team.

The referee? I haven’t analysed the incident and I don’t judge episodes that don’t concern my team.”