«We absolutely don’t like losing, so it’s obvious that we leave angry because we don’t like losing, I don’t like it. We can be satisfied because we put in a good performance, but when you have this type of performance you have to bring home points.” This was stated by the Catanzaro coach, Alberto Aquilani, after the Palermo – Catanzaro match.
«We were a bit light-hearted – highlighted the coach – in some circumstances, both in the offensive phase because we had several goal opportunities, and in the defensive phase because we conceded two avoidable goals and therefore these inattentions lead to you having an impact on the result. Having said that, if we talk about the performance I am very satisfied because it is a team that continues to grow, it is a team that came here, in this stadium, with this team, to play with courage and this gives me confidence for the future because it was the key component in getting to play these play-offs from fifth in the table already with two days to spare, otherwise it would have been impossible for us. So, we leave satisfied with the performance, with many good things, but angry because we lost and because we could have avoided it because then maybe it doesn’t matter much today. But if we have the talent to come back here then we should be much more careful.”
In view of the play-offs, what still needs to improve?
«The things we have improved are endless. Already competing with this little difference that was seen on the pitch is a very important achievement, because on paper we shouldn’t have anything to do with them and this is already a source of pride for me. However, since we are talking about higher expectations, when you face these teams, these players in this stadium, you have to raise everything because when the balls are inside our area you have to be a little more mean because they have players who score goals at the first opportunity.”
Pittarello top scorer
«You know how I feel about him, about what we went through, about the path we took to get to this result, so it makes me happy. But because he is a boy who deserves this, he came out angry because he wanted to score the third goal and therefore this is a mentality that in my opinion he has put into place this season, perhaps as I said the other week, the merit can be that of having worked a little more on the boy’s head, rather than on the qualities. I have seen the qualities from day one. Again, they’re doing as good a job as they’re doing it
the others too but we are still at stake, it is not yet time for conclusions, for definitive judgments because we have an opportunity: to finish this championship in an important way so we have to play for it.”
An eye on the playoffs
«It’s complicated because sometimes when you finish the championship and you’re already inside and you can’t improve the ranking, you risk that this situation leads you to lower your attention a little, that maybe you go to the field not with that… even fear, because then you have the fear of not doing things. So now my focus is there. Today I saw a team that, despite the many changes, came here motivated and focused. And woe betide if this were not the case, I repeat. We are a team that, if we are in this condition today, we strongly believe in what we propose. We all grew up individually. They are certainly two different proposals and we must be obsessive in ours, because it is the only weapon to compete with these teams.”
The physical conditions of the injured
«We are evaluating Pietro Iemello, who is the only one who is a little further behind, but we all know his desire, his tenacity to recover. We won’t force anything as long as it can then preclude something more, but it’s the only one that needs to be evaluated. The others have all recovered.”
Playoff opponents
«I don’t know, I’m telling the truth. I don’t know, I tell you that many people are talking about maybe we’ll come back here, maybe we’ll see each other again. I hope so, because it means that we have passed the first round and for us the final is the first round, it is the most difficult match, the most insidious match: therefore we should be very good against whoever, whoever comes. We have to be very good at preparing for this match because it’s worth a lot to us.”