The coach is excited but takes the pressure off his team: “The last one will probably be decisive, or maybe the penultimate one. We have to see it as another match where we want to improve.”
For Empoli, tomorrow’s match against Frosinone is a match that presents itself with four matches to go: the two teams are tied on 31 points in fourth-to-last place. It goes without saying that a victory could be a good step towards salvation.
“Yes it is very important – comments the Italian coach Davide Nicola – but only because there are four missing and at the end of the match there will only be three games left. The last one, or perhaps the penultimate one, will probably be decisive. We have to experience it as another match where we want to improve“.
“We must be aware – he adds – that if we have come this far to play this match, with these prospects, it means that there is a story behind it. This is exactly what I said to the boys, I have always imagined that I wanted to get to this point. These matches set me on fire, they set me on fire. We don’t write the story we have to write in a day and we have to think of this match as another stage.”
The match will be played in a stadium with over 12,000 fansalmost two thousand from Frosinone: “All this increases our sense of responsibility – Nicola points out -. I hope that the fans have understood what we have put into the field in recent months. The message that must get through is that we put everything into it, effort and sacrifice. We must continue like this.”
The opponents
Regarding Frosinone, the Empoli coach has positive words for the team and for the coach: “Having reached them, after an exceptional start to the championship on their part, means that we have done a great job. Frosinone is an organized team, with great values I know Eusebio Di Francesco, and I know that he is aware of the importance of this match. Frosinone is capable of restarting and has quality players. In order to get here and play on equal terms, we had to have double the pace we had at the start year”.
Training
Empoli will not have Walukiewicz available e there is a real emergency in defense: “We also played in this situation for a good part of the match against Atalanta. Neither Walukiewicz nor Ismajli were there, and I think Pezzella has interesting characteristics. We have one last light training session tomorrow morning and we’ll see.”
“Leadership – he concludes – lies in the organization and interpretation of certain roles. I’m not thinking of an individual or a few individuals. The experience of the older player is needed and so is the freshness and enthusiasm of the young person. In this sense our squad is very well equipped.”
