Empoli-Cagliari: D'Aversa aims for victory without anxiety about the result

"It's an important match, but the championship doesn't end tomorrow." Roberto D'Aversa is aware that against the Cagliari the stakes are high, but at the same time he underlines that there are still 24 points on the table and it is not productive to talk about an 'obligation to win'. "I don't want the anxiety of the result - specifies the Italian coach - although we know that in spring the destinies of the teams are often decided. The outcome of the first leg of the Italian Cup semifinal must make us transform disappointment into positive anger". Compared to the first leg, in which theEmpoli prevailed 2-0, clearly outclassing the opponents, now the situation has completely reversed so much that today at the Castellani-Computer Gross Arena a healthy and confident Cagliari arrives. "We find an experienced team, that gives very little in the back and is good at verticalizing - D'Aversa analyzes -, I asked the boys to have the same performance standard as Como, improving however the scoring phase, we must be more aggressive in front of goal. We have a first set-ball to try to get back on the teams that precede us and maybe pull back others, beyond the direct clash we must think about getting points independently of the others".

As for the lineup, however, the Abruzzo coach returns to having few choices at his disposal, also given the absences of the suspended players. gyasi e Fazzini, in addition to the usual injured players. D'Aversa admits he has not yet made up his mind about who will replace the Ghanaian right-back. "Sambia or De Sciglio? They are certainly two possible solutions, as could Solbakken or Ebuehi – he specifies – certainly, despite the importance that Gyasi has for us, whoever replaces him I am sure will not make us miss him". D'Aversa then also dwells on Viti's fitness, after another week of work following his return to the field in Como and on the doubts in attack. "Does Mattia have ninety minutes in his legs? We don't know yet, we will evaluate tomorrow – he admits – just as I reserve the right to decide until the last moment who to field between Esposito, Kouame e Columbo, an evaluation in which I will also have to take into account the possibility of having an impact during the match. But with the three of them, this is a situation that I will have in every match because I can alternate them without problems".

Then asked about the bad defeat in the Coppa Italia, D'Aversa also returns to the choices made against Bologna. "Would I do them again? The only different thing I would have liked to do was give minutes to Ebuehi, but Fazzini asked for a change and there was no way - he concludes -. Let's not forget that a few weeks earlier, Bologna had given five to Lazio. We are disappointed and angry, our fans should be proud of having played a historic semi-final and they were commendable. Also for this tomorrow (today for those reading ed.) we must do our best, given that for now we have given them few joys at home, despite the performances never being lacking".