Cagliari-Torino, Sunday at 8:45 PM, will be Leonardo Pavoletti's last match at Unipol Domus in the red and blue jersey. Not on the pitch, as he'll miss it due to injury , but as a player. "Yes, we're here: after so many battles, we've reached the end; everything has a beginning and everything has an end," he announced on PodCasteddu, the club's official podcast. "After so many years in a place I love dearly. I don't think it's the end of my career, but with Cagliari, playing football is over."

Pavoletti, born in 1988, will continue his career elsewhere. "Now I'll enjoy the summer with my family, and I'll begin to understand what I've done well and what I've done wrong. I'm taking a short break to reflect on my journey and figure out what to do next: time will tell ." Cagliari sent him a heartfelt farewell: "You certainly would have liked to end this journey on the pitch, but here too, fate, consistent and cruel, played its part. As captain, you'll still be there, as always, alongside the team, to support them and convey all your strength. The embrace of the rossoblù fans, farewells. One thing is certain: some loves are just not meant to be said goodbye, Cagliari is and always will be your home. Thank you so much, Pavo."

Pavoletti scored 52 goals in 231 games, the most notable of which was clearly the 94th-minute goal against Bari that secured promotion to Serie A. He arrived in Sardinia in 2017, bought a house, and even made the national team. "My greatest desire was to finish with a match and a goal, because it had been a long time since I scored at Unipol Domus. Then, of course, a huge gap separated my dreams from reality, and I found myself with knee surgery and the season over. I'm saying this goodbye in my home stadium, because I was there when they inaugurated it for the first match ."

Pavoletti concludes with a message: "There are so many things to talk about, but and say, 'I did it, I repaid this pledge of love.'"