Genoa, 19 October 2025 – This is what Carlos Cuesta had to say after Parma’s goalless draw away to Genoa on matchday 7 of the 2025/26 Serie A Enilive season:

“I’m proud of the team, of the team spirit we showed on the pitch, and the spirit we show in training as well. I’m proud of our mentality during matches and the way we stayed focused on solving problems. We were a team today, not just those on the pitch, but everyone on the bench too, including the staff. That’s the mindset we need to have if we’re going to stay on our path, which is a long one. We’re happy to have come away with a point, but now we have to keep growing. We also want to create more and score more.

“Back four? It’s new, and like anything new it needs time to settle. In the first half, we had more control; in the second, after the sending-off, we struggled a bit – ten against eleven and without our fans – but that’s also the beauty of football. We knew how to dig in.

“Is this the maturity I wanted? For me, being young has nothing to do with maturity. For me, maturity means knowing how to handle every moment. Today, the team handled the tough moments well, which is an important sign of maturity for the journey that still lies ahead of us.

“Suzuki? He took centre stage today. Zion is a model professional – he lives for football. Every day, he sets an example on and off the pitch with how he looks after himself and how he always tries to give everything. Working hard pays off, and today it did. We’re delighted with his performance and how much he helped the team.

“Why did I take Bernabé off? It comes down to characteristics. We were down to ten and needed more cover across the pitch – that’s the only reason. Have I spoken to Ndiaye? No. Making mistakes is part of football and part of a player’s development.'

“Estévez’s position? He’s a very intelligent player with great reading of the game – a real leader. He played his role very well; his concentration levels were fantastic, and he gave us a lot. I’m pleased.

“Did the forwards see less of the ball with the new system? That’s part of a wider process, linked to other situations and changes. Now, we’ve got Como coming up, another very tough match.”