Sanchez: "Sessana is third-to-last in the standings but has the best defense in the league: we'll have to play a top-level match."

On the eve of the match against Sessana, Carlo Sanchez reflects on the dramatic victory against Quarto, defends his team's performance, and explains why they can't always expect to win 4-0. The Real Forio coach emphasizes the strength of the squad, their physical condition, and the psychological work done in the locker room. He warns of the pitfalls of a Sessana team with the best defense of the tournament, and pays tribute to the "hunger" of his players.

Mr. Sanchez, let's start with the most controversial points from the last match. After the 6-4 defeat against Quarto, many highlighted the absence of Peppe Mattera, and looking at the match itself, the impression is that Quarto was perhaps given too much. What's your take on it? "This time, I completely disagree, neither with Peppe's absence nor with the argument that we gave away too much. It can happen that a player is suspended and misses a match; it's part of the game. And it would also be disrespectful to those who took his place, because in my opinion, they played a good game. Quarto is a good team; the game was chaotic and strange, yes. The four goals conceded can be annoying, but if you concede six, it's never easy. The key thing is that we won, we brought home another game. It's clear that there were mistakes, we know that very well, but personally, I hope to win 25 games 6-4 at the end of the season."

Naturally, the hope is shared; the idea is that Forio can continue to come back, win, and maintain this positive streak. However, simply telling ourselves that we're good, strong, and talented is only useful up to a certain point. The team demonstrated its superiority, even scoring in the ninety-eighth minute, a sign that they're mentally present. It's also true that Quarto played the game of their lives: they faced the league leaders, an island team like Real Forio, and that certainly provided extra motivation. However, looking at our home team, there were some nervousness and a few poor decisions, otherwise there wouldn't have been any need for such a significant comeback. Ultimately, it must be acknowledged that Forio pulled off a great comeback, but to avoid simply saying "we're good," it was right to try to understand more about how the game was managed. I agree, also because it's your job to analyze and judge situations. In football, however, it always happens like this: you win 1-0 and you get criticized because you almost drew; you win 6-4 and it's not good because you conceded four goals and struggled until the end. The fact remains that you won 6-4. Speaking of Bacoli and Quarto, the bottom line is that the games are all difficult. If anyone imagines this team going out there and winning every game 4-0, then I'm not the right coach and the team isn't the right one to win every Sunday 4-0. The games are tough.

We've never claimed to be perfect and beautiful, we're on a great journey: we're top of the table, we've collected nine wins and two draws in the league, three wins and a draw in the Coppa Italia, advancing two rounds against a team that currently sits 12 points behind us in the standings. Quarto played a good match; they're a lively, quality team that plays excellent football, and they caused us problems. Paradoxically, before their goal, we had two clear chances: a half-goal ruled out for an offside that I can't tell you from the footage, and, in the tenth minute, a chance from a dead-ball situation with Serrano that almost gave us the lead. Then we made a mistake, went behind, but we recovered. From the sixtieth minute on, the team took control of the game, dominating thanks in part to our significantly better physical condition.

Pierangelo Pesce and the entire team I have with me deserve great credit for this. We won 6-4, the guys know there were mistakes, but I wouldn't be too picky. Criticism is due even when you win, and I'm the first to criticize myself after a win. Imagine if we'd lost 4-0. Everyone sees football in their own way; four goals conceded is a lot, but six goals scored is a lot."

I wanted to make it clear that my criticism wasn't meant to be an end in itself, nor was it meant to nitpick. The goal was to try to understand, with her, the dynamics of a ten-goal game, a rare occurrence in these leagues. Also, to avoid repeating ourselves and being banal in our analysis: this is our eleventh pre-match press conference, and Forio is enjoying a dream season, with a five-point advantage over second-placed teams and a Coppa Italia semifinal within reach, something they can secure on the pitch. It was simply to give a deeper meaning to the analysis and better understand what went wrong entirely. “I understood the spirit perfectly. And rightly so. I, for one, don't like conceding goals; there's no point beating around the bush. I've had some impressive numbers in my career: at Agropoli, for example, I played eight games without conceding a goal. So I know what it means to be solid. But there are some special games. The one against Quarto was unique from the start: we suffered from their dynamism, despite starting well. There were many errors, many individual mistakes, but they weren't related to the absences but rather to a lack of focus at times and the quality of the opponents. I said it after the match too: Quarto really put us in trouble, they moved the ball around well, they created big problems for us. At the same time, I knew that every time we managed to break away, we could hurt them. It turned out to be a game where they were sinking and we were countering, sinking in turn. It could have ended with an even higher score, because, at 5-4, they had another good chance to equalize and then we found the strength to finally turn the tables with the goal from Arrulo. I'm really happy with the results, the performance, and the desire of the boys, because they're all putting in so much, from the first to the last. Now we have to turn the page: this week we analyzed the mistakes and difficulties, now we look forward with confidence."

Mister, let's focus on the next match. Sessana comes up on Saturday, a very close and very tricky game. We mustn't make the mistake of underestimating an opponent who certainly won't be here just to watch, especially given their very different standings from yours. What kind of match do you expect? "Sessana is a tough opponent; the standings, if you look at them casually, can be misleading. They don't have a true standing compared to their strengths, because paradoxically, we're talking about the team with the best defense in the league. They're third-to-last or fourth-to-last, but they've conceded very little, scoring little, that's true, but conceding almost nothing. They're a well-organized, well-structured team, tough to face. On Saturday, we'll have to play a top-level match, with focus, aggression, desire, sacrifice, and quality. Because we often forget that every result comes from quality. If we're able to express our strengths, which is important, we can achieve a good result."

Speaking of quality, it'll also be important to build on the good things we saw in the Quarto. There were mistakes and they need to be analyzed, but going four down, having the courage to come back and turn things around is a sign of a hungry team. Will it be crucial to bring that same hunger and determination to the pitch? Absolutely. If you don't have a hungry team, you can't turn games like this around, against anyone. On Sunday, we went behind four times and came back, then got back on track in the final minutes. But that hunger must never be lacking in the boys. It's a concept that applies to everyone, not just in sports. Anyone who approaches a task, anyone who wants to achieve something, anyone who joins an important work group must be hungry, not satisfied with what they have. If I walk into an office as an employee and know I can make a career in that company, I have to do everything I can to improve, to grow as a person and as a professional. I have to approach it with the right determination; only then can I make a qualitative leap. It's the same in football: a team that shows it's more "in the game" than its opponent, with a strong and winning personality, advances in the long run. This is thanks to so many guys with enormous qualities: in sport, if I'm stronger than my direct rival in a one-on-one, I advance. It's the sport that dictates it.

The group, in fact, is one of our strengths. We've already seen some changes, such as Simone D'Alessandro's position on the left flank in the match against Frattese. In attack, a very interesting partnership is developing with Santiago and Castagna. Are you enjoying the shape you've created for Real Forio, or do you still have some tactical "whims" to work on? "Simone, with me, has played either central defender or left wing so far, precisely because I have Pippo on the right, who is in excellent condition and has sacrificed himself enormously in a role he's perhaps never played before. He played it well against Frattese, where he had a great match just three days earlier, and he was brought back because he'd given excellent performances. Castagna, Santiago, Yeaboah, Pelliccia, Serrano, Di Meglio: they are so many quality players who enhance our potential and give us confidence when facing any opponent. We're fortunate to have them all available."

Staying with D'Alessandro, what were the reasons for his early substitution last Sunday? "Purely tactical reasons. At that point, we were struggling because they were pushing up a lot and we weren't coming out effectively with our attackers. I wanted a different offensive focal point to put pressure on their defense, and in the end, that objective was achieved. It's true that a thirtieth-minute substitution can be interpreted as a failure, but that's not the case. If it had been a failure, it would have been primarily my own, because it would mean I'd chosen the wrong lineup by selecting a player who wasn't fit. Instead, I brought on Yeaboah, who performed well and gave us depth and quality in our attacks. It was a choice in a very unusual match, which, as I said, could have ended 8-8, because there was a feeling that either side could score at any moment."

The match started off abnormally even before kickoff. How's Santaniello? Delizia was substituted at the last minute. What happened? "Unfortunately, he'll have to rest for another ten days. He had a problem with his quadriceps and hip, a problem that started during the night and then recurred during the morning's training session. At that point, we couldn't take any risks. Delizia came on and did very well, and we'll continue with Delizia and Mazzella."

Regarding the under-16s, Iaccarino and Peluso seem to be on the up. Peluso needed minutes, but is now finding time in key moments, not just once the result is in the bag. What's your impression of them? "Enzo missed the entire pre-season due to an injury in a friendly in August. He was sidelined for almost two months between pre-season and training and has recently returned. He's a solid player, eager to play, and can achieve something important in the future. Iaccarino is doing very well. And let's not forget the other two youngsters, Buono and Piero Verde, although Piero has a slight contracture and will be sidelined this week."

Of the ten goals from the last match, one stood out more than the others: Tarascio's. He's a player who scores infrequently, as we've already commented on other occasions, but he was looking for this goal and finally found it. It seems that at Real Forio, individual initiative is expected and encouraged; it's part of the very essence of football. Yes, I remember well. We talked about it last Wednesday, after the match against Frattese. Tarascio's goal was a sought-after one. Antonio is a very important player for the division, he doesn't score much, we hope to increase that "bonus" of one goal per season. On Sunday against Quarto, in addition to his goal, Giovanni finally scored, with a nice brace, and Riccardo Velotti scored with a beautiful right-footed goal from a corner, in addition to the usual Santiago and Castagna we're used to. It was important to see so many players score. Di Lorenzo, for example, had a great game, scoring two crucial goals. But, in my opinion, the episode that changed the momentum was Gigi Velotti's 4-4: he scored a crucial goal, the emotional turning point of the match. Then he also provided the assist in space for Santiago, who did the rest by running fifty meters with the ball at his feet. It's just a shame to note that football, in some aspects, still has some shortcomings that are unpleasant to see, but they are part of it. of the “circle” of this sport”.

After a match like that, full of different scorers and beautiful goals, what have you emphasized in your weekly work? What mistakes should we avoid repeating, considering the current situation? "The biggest mistake would be to underestimate the challenges, which fortunately this team has never done. But it's true that when you win a lot and have the burden of knowing you're stronger than many opponents, you risk relaxing. And there's no point in beating around the bush: we're strong, very strong, and we have to prove this every game. It's a burden, because you know you're playing in games where everyone expects you to win. To handle this load, you have to maintain tension, calm, and serenity, give everything for yourself and for the team, so as to bring home the result. Everything is built during the week: if you work well, with motivation and energy, you'll have no regrets.

This is a tough group, much more so than last year. You yourselves can see that there are no longer those two or three clearly inferior teams that you knew you'd face with an initial advantage. Micri, Fro Calcio, and Virtus Afragola represented a different type of schedule last year. Two have withdrawn, Micri is in the Promotion League thanks to a strong youth sector. This year, the championship is very balanced: many teams are fighting for survival, and we're all there for the playoffs. Our strength so far has been to have a great run and leave the others behind. Compared to Afragolese last year, we have, if I'm not mistaken, two more points: they were on 27 after 11 games, we're on 29. We give credit to a group that knows they're strong, but they have to prove it every day."

And in fact, you're demonstrating it very well right now in the league and the cup. We talked about it in the last press conference: the opponents are always highly motivated, because they're playing the top-seeded team. What kind of work are you doing mentally? You mentioned calmness; how important is the psychological aspect? “It's very important. Talking to the players is a daily thing, and it's not just about me, but the entire staff. Psychology is crucial in football today, but it always has been. The further you go, the more you realize it. Empathy with the group, motivation, attention to those who don't play much, motivation for those who do play and know they can always play, but they have to stay consistent: everything comes from the mind. Having a mentally charged, focused, and calm team is crucial. Those who are good with their feet find their feet, but if you're not mentally well, you struggle. Psychology, in the locker room, is one of the most important aspects.”

Ahead of the Sessana match and Wednesday's Cup match, besides Santaniello, what's the situation with the other players unavailable? "Arcamone is still out, and Galawi, who is a young player, is sidelined. Di Meglio, on the other hand, has recovered, has been training all week, and has returned to the group. Currently, the absences are as follows: Luca Arcamone and Galawi, plus Santaniello, whom we already mentioned."

Finally, Mister, an off-the-field question. Real Forio shared on its channels the exploits of Gianni Sasso and Uncle Pippo, who returned from America after running the New York Marathon. What thoughts do you have for them? “I think Gianni Sasso is an idol for all of Forio. He's a person who goes beyond any limit with his tenacity, his drive, his never-giving-up attitude. After what happened to him, many people would have given up, but he instead revealed enormous inner strength, fueled by the friends who have always supported him. It's not easy organizing such a demanding journey, going from the island to America with a group of friends by his side. It was wonderful to see him happy for having accomplished something extraordinary, and equally beautiful to see the joy of the friends who accompanied him. He's someone we care deeply about, because he's one of us, from Forio. Our respect goes beyond his sporting achievements; it's first and foremost about the man.”