Collecchio, 23 September 2023 - Crociato coach, Fabio Pecchia’s comments in the press room at the Mutti Training Center in Collecchio ahead of the match against Sampdoria. 

ENTHUSIASM, LIGHT-HEARTEDNESS AND DESIRE

“I am pleased that everyone is in the best condition to play, the competition increases, the level of training increases and eleven play with five changes. This will be our constant and I hope it will be so until the end of the season. I have a squad, I want to manage it, the aim is to help them perform at their best. I want everyone available, it’s an advantage if we can reduce the number of injuries, this was a problem last year. Everyone must feel part of the group, there will be no starters. We will manage resources fairly. I keep asking the team for enthusiasm, light-heartedness and a desire to get things done. This is the only way that we will be able to show others our worth. We have to deal with it this year and last year it was something we had to manage. Everyone talks about Parma but this will be part of our journey and we have to live with it. Ball possession? You have to analyse it with other data, possession alone is meaningless as data. It is territorial dominance. We took the lead in the first quarter, this changed the momentum of the game. You must take into account that the team is able to dribble and create turnovers, we want to play and be proactive. And when we encounter a team that can hold us down, we have to do it with great humility. We have to know how to attack on both a narrow pitch and a big pitch.'

A COMPETITIVE SAMPDORIA

“They are a team that, despite their results, are very competitive. They have players who have played in Serie A. They want to play, they have ideas, and they want to play in all phases. They’re strong. Everything around the team is a pleasure, there is a celebration and an extraordinary relationship, but on the pitch, the game must be played because it is a team that wants to play and has the strength to go again. We have to take them on, we can’t dwell on the Catanzaro performance we have to think only about Sunday. We’re thinking about our attitude, we’re preparing a game against a team that will want to impose their style. They won in Temi, drew in Cremona, I see a team that knows how to play their style. It will depend a lot on us, but I think they will come to the Tardini to play their game with their weapons drawn and without a change in attitude. 

THE WORD ‘DISARMED’ 

'Beyond the term used, which we will be able to talk about at the end of the season, it must be clear to the whole atmosphere and everything that revolves around the team and the fans, that we have to hold on to everything we created in the last game. It is a reminder, it must always be on because we need it, we need it'. 

DENNIS MAN

'It's a journey, we are all happy and most importantly, he feels good, he is building on his performances and proving his worth. He has to be aware, he started with us, apart from a small 10-day stop, and he has always been part of the team. This path, considering his young age, indicates an optimistic and confident future with us.”