Mister Mazzarri is satisfied with the test at Mapei Stadium «Did I turn around on Joao’s penalty? I’m superstitious “
REGGIO EMILIA. Satisfied. This is how you can photograph Walter Mazzarri’s mood at the end of the game. The Cagliari coach has changed something on a tactical level and made choices that are not random. He excluded Strootman who was not standing up in the last few races, he trusted Bellanova and dusted off Keita. Moves that proved him right, not only because a positive result arrived, but because the team has improved in terms of play and in the non-possession phase. «Today I saw what I would always like to see – the words of the rossoblù coach -. Not only were we good at catching up twice, but in the end of the race we could also have won if we had been more precise in some plays. We even went to press their doorman. A team that is last is led to defend the draw, instead we tried to bring home the three points. If we had succeeded it would not have been a theft. However, this is the spirit that must distinguish us ».
Mazzafrri wanted to see a fierce attitude. «I told the boys – he continues – if I see someone who pulls his leg back, I take it off immediately. I made choices based on what I see during training. Here, it must be clear that from now on the place is conquered during the week. I choose not on the basis of feelings, but on what each individual demonstrates with work “
The match against Sassuolo was an important crossroads. The coach turned around when Joao Pedro took the penalty. «A bit of superstition is normal since everything was going wrong lately. You are always afraid that something strange will happen and you risk losing the game. Since I’ve been here, we deserved to have at least 3-4 points more, lost through bad luck and not due to our desperation. Fate must give us something back and it will happen sooner or later ».
Joao Pedro in the national team. Mazzarri says yes. Usually I do not allow myself to enter into the merits of the work of
colleagues – he concludes – but Italy is a bit of everyone. I think Joao would be really handy for Roberto Mancini. He is a central striker who knows how to do everything and with technical players at his side he would be exalted. I don’t know if he will be called, but if the call comes, we would all be really happy for him ». Finally, two words to explain Strootman’s exclusion. «Kevin is a great professional, he trains very well and will give us a hand. He didn’t play today because, as I said, I made some choices. But don’t say he failed ».
R.M.