He is the main architect of salvation. Claudio Ranieri, hero of an entire people, infallible sniper who in five seasons in Cagliari has always hit the target .
It was Sardinia that launched him into major football, Tonino Orrù called him when the team was in Serie C. In two years he brought Cagliari back from C to A and in 1991 he achieved salvation in the top division.
Then a long wandering especially between Italy and England (but also France, Spain and Greece): objectives almost always achieved, in the middle the sensational victory in the Premier League with Leicester .
So, more than thirty years later, his return to the team that launched him and to the land where he had left an indelible mark. Christmas 2022 is approaching, there is a depressed environment in Cagliari: the team is in 14th place in the Serie B table , just 22 points in 18 games. Promotion is light years away, a shake-up is needed, at least to restore enthusiasm and vigor to the team and fans. Who if not him? Sir Claudio turned the season and future of Cagliari around : 35 points in 19 games and fifth place. Then in the playoffs he lined up Venice, Parma and Bari (Pavoletti scored a sensational sliding door in the 95th minute, considering that Bari now risks falling to Serie C) and tearfully celebrated an unexpected promotion.
The Serie A championship will be difficult, he says so several times. And Cagliari is experiencing it on a roller coaster: a season full of ups and downs , culminating in yesterday's big party. The start was a nightmare: two points in eight games, then the incredible comeback against Frosinone (from 0-3 to 4-3) kicked off the rossoblù's championship .
Another crisis between January and February, the home defeat against Lazio (fourth in a row) was the turning point , according to Ranieri himself and Giulini. The coach threatened to resign, the team asked him to stay and from then on it was a completely different championship . Eight points in four games, then the defeat in Monza followed by the victory over Atalanta and draws with Inter and Juventus. Cagliari is still at risk but has pulled itself out of the relegation zone.
New critical moment in recent weeks: the defeat of Genoa, the home draw with Lecce and the heavy defeat against Milan. Yesterday, on the penultimate beach of a difficult championship, salvation with 90 minutes to spare. And he is the great architect of 90 minutes set by a great football strategist. Ranieri knows that Sassuolo only has one result available and that, if they hold out at 0-0, they will find themselves hunting for a goal. So he leaves Luvumbo on the bench and launches him in the second half, when spaces open up and the Angolan with his speed and freshness slides like a blade into the butter of the black and green defense, splitting the game . Another substitution, Prati: comes in and scores . Cagliari never suffers in the remaining 20 minutes of the match, on the contrary, they come close to doubling their lead several times and find it in the final with Lapadula's penalty.
It is the apotheosis, the leader is carried in triumph under the rossoblù curve. The fans praise him and he thanks them.
And now the unknown is opening up about his future. Will he end his career with yet another triumph or will he move on? For the official confirmation we have to wait for the match against Fiorentina, but his words yesterday give rise to hope: " I have another year on my contract and Cagliari is my home, but now let me enjoy it ." On the club front, there is no doubt: «Ranieri is our leader. He decides whether to stay", said Tommaso Giulini.
An entire population asks him to stay. By now Ranieri for Cagliari and for Sardinia is approaching the myth of Gigi Riva . There are many appeals on our website and on our social pages: « Stay with us as long as you feel up to it and know that for those who love you like us nothing can ever go wrong, in any case», « Ranieri in Cagliari like Ferguson for the Manchester ", "No one like you", " Mister, stay in Cagliari and expect a very brilliant signing campaign ". And it is only a very small part of the appeals, there are also those who hope for his future as a director with a young coach to shape.
In short, Ranieri for life . This is what they want in Cagliari and Sardinia. And he, leader of an entire people, will not be able to ignore these appeals.
(Unioneonline/L)