He made his debut in Serie A with the rossoblù shirt of Cagliari way back in 1999. The adventure in Sardinia was little more than a flash in the pan in his long and rewarding career, because it lasted the short space of a season, but it remained deeply engraved in his heart and memories.
Bernardo Corradi, a strong penalty area ram originally from Siena, after his debut among the giants of Italian football, played for teams of the caliber of Lazio, Parma, Valencia and Manchester City. As well as in the Chievo Verona of Gigi Delneri’s miracles. He also ended up wearing the shirt of the Italian national team, with which he scored 2 goals in 13 overall appearances. Today, speaking of Azzurri, he coaches the Under-19 Selection.
Bernardo, what idea did you have of the championship Cagliari experienced, always on the edge of the precipice, but then culminating in a refreshing salvation?
“It was a difficult season, the leitmotif of which was represented by the great return of Claudio Ranieri on the bench of Cagliari in Serie A. He had been in Sardinia many years ago and in 2023, returning to bring the team back to the top division and then saving it with a day early, he has effectively closed a circle. As he himself said, after all. Cagliari is a special team: it does not just represent a city, but an island and an entire people. A coach like that, who acts as a ‘people leader’ and who manages to channel a certain type of energy into the team, is a great added value in my opinion.
Regardless of the players who will come, it will be difficult to replace a coach like Ranieri.”
A task that will fall – it is now practically certain – to Davide Nicola, fresh from yet another life-saving feat accomplished this time in Empoli.
“I know him. In my opinion, betting on him was the right choice. I’m speaking from a personal point of view.”
Bernardo, a personal memory of yours from Sardinia: you landed on the island to wear the rossoblù shirt twenty-five years ago now, with the exception of a fleeting parenthesis in Serie B in 1997…
“The fact that Sardinia is linked to my absolute debut in Serie A already says a lot about the affection I personally feel for this land and, in particular, for the city of Cagliari. I’m always happy when things go the right way for the rossoblù colors.”
