Rossonera Gallery
Monday, July 1, 2024, 5:11 PM
by gianluca andreuccetti
Sacrifices pay off. Always. Matteo Nolè knows this well. Like many other players, he started from the bottom. After his experience in Borgo a Buggiano, in 2013 he received a call from Lucchese. That year, he managed to carve out a leading role in Pagliuca’s team, winning the Serie D championship. In Correggio. Who can forget that feat? From 2014 to 2018, he wore the red and black colors in Serie C, offering high-level, leader-like performances. After a stint in Ghivizzano, in 2019 he returned to Lucchese, bringing it back to the professionals once again. Nolè gave an interview to our microphones: we talked with him about his memories and much more. Here are his words.
What memories do you have of Lucchese?
“I spent six years of my career in Lucca, during which I got a lot of satisfaction: the two Serie D championships won and the quarter-finals of the playoffs played against Parma. Lucca deserves other stages”.
The most important match of your adventure in red and black was the one against Correggese: what memories do you have of that day?
“May 4, 2014 is a historic day. On the eve of the match, a match like that was unimaginable. That season there was a real head-to-head against Correggese. We reached the peak in the last match of the championship against the Emilians when, with a comeback, we managed to obtain promotion to Serie C”.
You rightly mentioned the 2016-17 playoff quarter-finals against Parma earlier: what was the secret of that season?
“Definitely the group. The difficulties at the corporate level certainly didn’t help us. If we add to this the loss of some important players in the January market… Despite everything, that year we managed to get to the challenge against Parma. Meeting the dukes wasn’t the best and beating them was a utopia”.
A coach you are particularly grateful to?
“Well, I had many at Lucchese. In addition to Pagliuca, I also got along well with Baldini, Lopez and Galderisi. I wouldn’t want to forget Monaco: with him on the bench, in the 2019-20 season, we managed to win the Serie D championship”.
What kind of coach is Pagliuca? This year he got promoted to Serie B with Juve Stabia…
“He and his team have had an extraordinary year. He is a well-prepared coach who lives for football 24 hours a day. In his coaching career, he has worked his way up, starting with Cecina and also coaching Lucchese. I hope he continues this climb.”
A judgment on the season just passed by Lucchese?
“The recovery played in the first half of the season against Spal interrupted the good initial path of the Pantera. An inconsistent year in which the minimum objective was achieved, namely maintaining the category. The conditions to do better are there”.
A player who surprised you?
“Gucher is a luxury player for the category. Another player who made a good impression on me is Tiritiello. Rizzo Pinna also did well. Russo, my former teammate at Lucchese, is another good player. Speaking of old acquaintances, I’m also happy about Coletta’s renewal. A good piece in view of the future”.
