"It's an incredible challenge for our growth. A challenge against a very strong team that we absolutely want to play with ." Davide Nicola has shining eyes and fire inside, as he shows his chest to Atalanta from the press room of the "Crai Sport Center" in Assemini.
"We are clearly talking about an opponent of the highest level, of which, among other things, I have great respect for the values and merits. It is one of the most captivating and qualitative teams in Italy , and also in Europe it is now reaching an important level", the premise of the Cagliari coach, who certainly does not hold back, however. He even gets excited at the idea of being able to cause difficulties for the Goddess, sole leader for a week. "Ideas, principles and identity are always the same for us", clarifies Nicola. "Then it is normal that based on who we are going to face there is a different score each time. We have worked a lot in these days on the way to approach. To be more competitive in the non-possession phase, but also in the progression ".
The defeat in Florence has been metabolised in a constructive way. "It is important to be aware that we can always play our game regardless of the opponent", the rossoblù coach is keen to point out, who knows very well the pitfalls of tomorrow's match but also the potential of his team and the work done to get there. "We know how much Atalanta is worth, but every team has the ambition to be able to play the right game. Maybe we can inhibit them. You have to live along the way without losing belief in what you do ", the concept on which Nicola insists and starts again. "You play eleven against eleven, there is a type of organisation that can influence hierarchies and balances. And I always want to believe in it. Believing, after all, costs nothing ".
How are the four former Atalanta players Piccoli, Zortea, Adopo and Palomino experiencing the wait? «Everyone wants to do their best when they meet a team they played for, maybe to show how much they're worth». Having said that: « and everything else takes a back seat, including the name of the opponent».
