Today’s point earned at Bluenergy Stadium leaves a bitter taste in Fabio Cannavaro’s mouth but he’s keeping his faith heading into the last game of the season.
“We lost a bit of our mental power after Isaac Success’ injury. That took a lot from us. I saw a team that were a bit afraid, but over time our defenders gained confidence, playing one on one without losing their heads. Especially after the Empoli penalty, we showed we’re men. We kept looking to build and I like that.”
Cannavaro said that subbing off Brenner in the 55th minute was not a punishment. “I needed a few more centimetres and to switch it up so I made that decision. Walace had cramp. We’ll have to see how Isaac is in the coming days. Having him out would be a big loss. Maybe some others will come back in. Let’s hope so.
“We knew it wouldn’t be easy, but we did well to stay switched on. I hope that the shot that hit the post in Bologna and or that point against Roma doesn’t affect us too much. Roberto Pereyra wouldn’t have played. He was with us because he’s our captain. His was a significant absence, just like so many others. Everyone will have to give 100% from now until the next game.”
Keinan Davis was someone who gave his all today and Cannavaro described him as “an important player, who hasn’t been managed properly.”
The Udinese head coach also spoke about the fans, who followed the team all the way to the stadium. “I don’t need to give a message to the fans. Once again, they were fantastic today. They appreciate the effort that the lads are putting in. It was lovely seeing them before the game. That’s the attitude we need to stay up. Staying up needs to be our common goal.
“At the moment we’re short on midfielders. I’ve got two on the pitch and one on the bench. I need to try and get the most out of what I’ve got and that has to be enough. I’m asking for one last push from my players. It’s crucial for everyone.
“Thomas Kristensen has struggled a bit in the last few matches. It’s not easy to play on the left when you’re normally on the right. That happened to me too. To give him some confidence, I asked Nehuen Perez to play on the left and it went well. I’m happy with them because they weren’t scared against a team that doesn’t do much but what they do, they do well.”
On the penalty that drew Udinese level taken by Lazar Samardzic despite an offer from Lorenzo Lucca, Cannavaro said, “I decide who takes the penalties. There was no time to think, I took responsibility. I’d decided over the past few weeks and it wasn’t up for discussion. I like that people want to take responsibility. Lorenzo was exceptional in helping our attacking players, but as long as I’m here, I’ll be making the decisions.
“Lucca wasn’t as polished today, but he crossed the ball perfectly for Davis. That pairing between Lucca and Davis didn’t look too bad. I’d hoped to replicate that with Isaac and Samardzic. If I’ve got a lot of players available, we can have some fun.
“Empoli were looking for those second balls. We did well to not let our concentration dip. Now we need to go to Frosinone and win. We did well today to get a result out of a game we were losing. Jaka Bijol did well to not lose his head. That’s the attitude we have to have.”