Cagliari manager Davide Nicola addressed the media ahead of his team’s upcoming Serie A match against Udinese. The coach discussed his team’s preparation and strategy for the challenging fixture.
When asked if they focused on any particular Udinese matches, Nicola replied: “We always look at the last 5-6 games of our opponent. From these, I glean details to counter. I believe Udinese has the ability to challenge the opponent physically. They have fast and technical wingers. We need to be aware that discipline and physical duels will make the difference, but without giving up our identity. The key will be staying more disciplined. It’s a very balanced championship.”
Regarding recent training focus, Nicola explained: “We’ve concentrated on set pieces and marking. We’ve switched from a zonal approach to man-marking. Against Torino, we conceded 12 corner kicks, which is not insignificant.”
When questioned about the possibility of seeing Gaetano in the starting lineup, the coach kept his options open: “Anything is possible. We prepare different interpretations. Felici could also be deployed as a midfielder. Some players are more appealing from a media perspective.”
Addressing whether there’s been a shift in the team’s mentality after a difficult start, Nicola offered a pragmatic view: “No. We’ve simply scored more goals, we’ve realized our work, and capitalized on what our opponents failed to convert. If we can also concede fewer goals, it will naturally follow that we can earn more points.”
