Lecce manager Marco Giampaolo held a press conference ahead of his team’s upcoming Serie A match against Lazio, discussing the challenges they face and addressing recent team issues.
Giampaolo acknowledged the strength of their opponents, stating, “The team is strong. I’ve watched several of their games. They play with great confidence and have quality. Even against Inter, they had a great first 30 minutes. We’re facing a strong team. They cover both phases of the game well. There’s little to add. And they’re in high self-esteem despite the setback.”
Regarding Lecce’s preparation, Giampaolo emphasized the technical and tactical challenges posed by Lazio. He noted, “The problem will be of a technical-tactical nature given the opposing team. Certainly, Lecce has no psychological problems.”
When asked about the transfer market, Giampaolo clarified his position: “The market isn’t done for the coach, but in the company’s interest. Lecce works from morning to night and already knows where to intervene.”
Giampaolo confirmed that Berisha would start in goal and discussed the team’s progress in adapting to his ideas: “The team works with commitment, does the right things, and tries to improve certain aspects. I need to understand how far to go while respecting the team’s characteristics.”
Addressing the upcoming fixtures, Giampaolo emphasized focusing on the immediate future: “I stop at the January 5th game. There are 15 days, and we play 3 important matches. I don’t go further than that.”
The manager also commented on the recent incident involving Pelmard, expressing disappointment but supporting the club’s decision: “The episode is to be condemned. In football, you earn credibility through consistency. I’m sorry for the boy, but he made an unforgivable mistake. He could have caused other damage too. We lose a player.”
Finally, Giampaolo discussed tactical considerations for the match, particularly regarding how to contain Lazio’s Tavares: “He’s a hammer on the wing. The opposition must be physical as well as technical. Tavares takes you away. Kaba treads other tiles, so I don’t foresee him on Tavares.”
