Sampdoria coach Andrea Pirlo shared his thoughts with Sky Sport after his team’s disappointing defeat against Palermo, which led to their elimination from the Serie B playoffs. The former Juventus coach remarked:
“We didn’t approach or play, especially in the first half, the way we had prepared during the week. We were affected by the pressure and the enthusiasm of the crowd. We’re not used to playing these kinds of games, and we paid for two lapses in concentration by losing the match.”
When asked about the separation between Massimiliano Allegri and Juventus, Pirlo responded with evident irritation: “Sorry, but I don’t think it’s the right time to talk about another team after we lost a playoff. I have my own problems and thoughts. I’m not in the right frame of mind to discuss anything else right now. Apologies, but my mind is elsewhere; the disappointment is great, so I prefer to focus on what happened here in Palermo.” After the journalist apologized for the question, Pirlo replied kindly, “Don’t worry.”
Pirlo also reflected on the season as a whole: “It’s been a long season. We started with many difficulties because, at the beginning of the year, things were not clear and smooth. However, we managed to have a good season, and I’m pleased with what the players and the club have achieved. We reached the playoffs, which was our objective, but there are better-equipped teams. We feel sorry for the fans in Genoa who deserved a different ending because of how they followed and supported us.”
He continued, highlighting the challenges of working with a young team: “When you build young teams, ups and downs and mistakes are normal. We’ve grown a lot, and it’s a shame that many of these players aren’t ours and will return to their clubs at the end of the season. We’ll have to roll up our sleeves and approach the market differently because we still have some limitations.”
Finally, Pirlo expressed his hope to continue with Sampdoria: “Will I stay? I hope so. I have a contract, and I hope to honor it.” Despite the challenges and the disappointment of the playoff loss, Pirlo remains committed to the future of the team, hoping to build on the progress made this season.
