Collecchio, 3 April, 2026 - Coach Carlos Cuesta spoke during his press conference ahead of matchday 31 of Serie A against Lazio, at the Mutti Training Centre in Collecchio.
WE WANT POINTS AND TO REGAIN OUR CONFIDENCE
“We know that our last match was a poor performance, we weren't happy with it. But we can't change the past. We’ve tried to stay balanced, focusing on the positives from previous games while also analysing what went wrong. From both good and bad performances, we want to bounce back stronger. We’re doing everything we can to improve, and that’s what we’ve worked on over the past two weeks. We’ve focused on our strengths, developing the team so we can move forward strongly over the next eight games. But most importantly, we’re thinking about how to get points tomorrow, in a very tough match against a team that’s on a great run with impressive results and performances.Lazio? They come into the game confident after wins over Sassuolo, Bologna, and Milan, showing top-level performances. They have a very clear playing style, both defensively and offensively. We need to regain our confidence, focus on our strengths, stay compact as a team, manage the ball well, and make the most of our time in their half. We want to play the game as best we can to give ourselves a real chance to take points. Will a stadium without home fans help us? It happened against Torino, and it didn’t make a difference. But the two things aren’t connected. We hope to feel our fans’ support tomorrow, they’ll give everything to help us. Regardless of the environment, we need to approach the game the right way and figure out how to control it, play it smart, and get points.”
THE RETURN OF THREE INTERNATIONALS: SUZUKI, BRITSCHGI E CIRCATI
“It’s been a positive period for them, they had the chance to get game time and play at a high level. Their performances were strong. Suzuki won two matches against Scotland and England, keeping clean sheets and delivering solid performances. The same goes for Sascha, who made a positive impact playing on the left, both defensively and offensively. And the same for ‘Circa,’ who even scored a goal. They come back with minutes. It’s true that they’ve traveled, perhaps Circati’s journey was tougher, but they’re all here with the same goal and the same mentality: to start strong, do everything we can, put in a great performance, and get back to the dynamics we want.”
.
WORK DURING THE BREAK
“We’ve all taken responsibility from the very start - the club, myself, and the players. We know it wasn’t a matter of focus or willpower; everyone’s commitment has been 100%. What we need now is to find the right solutions on the pitch and approach it with courage, responsibility, and a clear idea of who we need to be: compact, united, all on the same page. Even during other breaks, like after the home game against Lecce or the Lazio match, when we had two full weeks to work, we follow the same approach: we review what we’ve done, what went well, and what didn’t. Then we build on our strengths, evolve, and work on the areas that need improvement. We start strong, united, compact, and with a clear goal: to bounce back. The past can’t be undone, but we can do everything in our power to bring the team and our results to where we want them. Is the problem in the final third, in attack? Partly, yes. Our offensive process requires several passes to reach the opponent’s half. In many games, we defend with a fairly deep block, which forces us to speed up play at the front or manage possession more horizontally to stay compact. We need to master that. Attacking low blocks is always harder than attacking open spaces, which makes scoring more difficult. We know we need to work harder and smarter on building from the back. That’s something we all understand as a team, and I take responsibility as well. We’re working on improving the quality of passes our forwards receive in the right conditions. At the same time, we need to score more goals. Our strengths are reflected in conceding only two goals in five matches, but we need balance. We also know that when you prioritise defense, it naturally impacts your attack. In the end, resources are limited, and you have to set priorities.”
BERNABÉ'S POSITION
“He can play in a deeper role to link up the players between the lines, but he’s also capable of playing higher up to make an even bigger impact, as we saw against Lecce, Verona, and Milan. When he gets the ball in those advanced positions, he has the chance to shoot. How he manages space and tempo can be very positive for the team. As for his absence, we don’t dwell on what wasn’t there. In the two games without him, we struggled to progress the ball through the middle as we wanted, and we hope to improve in the coming matches. Ondrejka’s role? He’s been developing that role since last year, so it’s not new. Often he plays inside, between the lines, leaving the wing to Manu Valeri in a more advanced position. Mikolajewski wanting to debut with the First Team? It’s great that he’s ambitious and hungry. Ultimately, decisions will be based on what’s best for Parma. He’s with us now, getting ready, and maybe that opportunity will come in the future.”
ITALY'S TALENT
'For me Italy is full of talent at every level. You can see it in sports, from the Olympics to tennis and Formula 1. And if you look beyond sports, in areas like cooking or the automotive industry, Italy consistently operates at a high level. I’m confident this talent will really shine when it’s guided along a clear path. There’s no doubt that Italy has talent.”
