Walter Mazzarri explains why he chose the Cagliari job and what he’s expecting against Lazio. ‘The idea of coming here really excited me.’
It kicks off on Sunday at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT).
The Sardinians chose to axe Leonardo Semplici after one point from the opening three rounds, but the final straw was their fumbled 2-0 lead for a 3-2 defeat to Genoa, conceding three goals in under 20 minutes.
Kevin Strootman, Diego Godin and Marko Rog are still out of action and won’t be facing Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio.
“It’s an exceptional atmosphere, I received a good welcome and the infrastructure of the training ground really is at the vanguard,” said Mazzarri in his press conference.
“I have long had a rapport of mutual respect with President Tommaso Giulini and the idea of coming to Cagliari really excited me. There’s such history, pathos and responsibility at this club, it fires up the adrenaline.
“My dream, with a little time and an intelligent project, is to maybe next year aim for more than just securing safety.”
This is the tactician’s first job since he was fired by Torino in February 2020.
“The players are eager to get back on track and react to the latest defeat. We must create a soul for this team, and that’s why I am bringing along a player like Leonardo Pavoletti even though he probably won’t be able to play tomorrow. He’s a strong figure in the locker room.
“In general, I don’t like taking over mid-season, as I prefer to shape a team from the start, but I want Cagliari to develop great belief and never give up. Tomorrow will be the first test of that mettle.
“I have tried to bring in two or three of the concepts that are in my football credo, and we’ll see what happens. It’s true I often used 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 in my career, but I can adapt to many systems.”
Lazio, on the other hand, are struggling to mutate from Simone Inzaghi’s approach to new boss Sarri and his 4-3-3.
“A team accustomed to being near the top will be angry after back-to-back defeats between Serie A and the Europa League, but football can provide surprises and we can cause them problems.”
🎙 | VIGILIA
Le parole di mister Mazzarri.#LazioCagliari 📌#forzaCasteddu pic.twitter.com/RaAXeEgwwA
— Cagliari Calcio (@CagliariCalcio) September 18, 2021