Parma, 17 August 2025- The statement from head coach Carlos Cuesta, after the first round of the Coppa Italia Frecciarossa, Parma vs. Pescara.
“From the first day I got here, I said what I wanted: a team game, where we defended with eleven men and attacked with eleven. These are aspects we’ll keep working on throughout our journey. We’re still far from where we want to be, but this is a process that we’ll do our best to accelerate progress. We’re pleased with today’s performance and with many of the positive signs we saw, but there’s still a lot to work on and a long road ahead of us.
The new arrivals? Our aim is to accelerate as much as possible all the processes that come with change. Over these five weeks, we’ve seen lots of changes, with players coming and going. We intend to push as fast as possible so that everyone is on the same page and represents Parma in every match.
Crosses? Yeah, that’s been one of our areas of focus. To get to the other side of the pitch, you need to go through a process that allows you to play those balls. It’s true that in football, when there’s less defensive density, it’s easier to score, and that’s something we try and make the most of. But sometimes that opportunity won’t be there, and we’ll have to attack against deep blocks. That’s why we keep working to adjust and make Parma as complete as possible and we’re growing into this team.
The official debut? I approach every game with the same attitude. Even in a friendly, the emotions are the same. We try to prepare for every game in the same way, because we want to represent Parma in the right light. I didn’t feel more emotion tonight, but rather the same determination to do well. Of course, the key aspect was that it was the first time at the Tardini with our fans, and that gave us energy. But we need to be consistent, and consistency means every day, not just matchday. It’s in every training session and every game. Our focus has to be the same: enjoy today, but have Torino on our mind from tomorrow, and stay focused on our path to growth. We’re trying to adapt the qualities we have, making the most of what’s in the squad, and always looking to express ourselves in order to attack and defend better. Along the way, certain qualities have come out strongly, like today, when we had the chance, we were more dominant with the ball. Our build-up allowed us to move forward more compactly; we found the spaces the opponent gave us, and we did better at finding depth and exploiting advantages out wide. The opposition will always try and create problems for us, but we’ll aim to be in control of the game and play the football we want. One of the most positive things today was our ability to read the game: to know when to be very aggressive with high pressing, and when to stay more compact.”
