The victory against BSC Young Boys represents much more than three points for FC Lugano. In the post-game, Mattia Croci-Torti underlined above all the path taken by the team during the last period, highlighting an evident growth under the profile of conviction, union and results: "They have been demanding months, we gave everything. I wanted this team to understand that you must never settle. These three points were vital, because they allow us to go out with a completely different image and with great conviction.
"The last week has been really fantastic," continued the Juventus coach. "I saw a team that was able to manage matches at its best, with and without the ball, and above all with great conviction. In the moments when something more was needed in terms of quality, the boys managed to pull it out".
A key aspect of the evening was also the defensive solidity, certified by the second consecutive clean sheet. Croci-Torti highlighted the team's ability to adapt to a new tactical structure: "This is the first time we have defended in this way, with a five-man line and two midfielders. They were incredible from start to finish. This adaptability is what we ask of our players.
Tactical choices that are not random, but the result of precise evaluations, as in the case of the employment of Damian Kelvin: "It was important not to put him in trouble in his first start in months. I tried to build a team that would put him in the best conditions and he responded with a great game, especially in the defensive phase".
One of the most striking elements was Zanotti's position as a central right-back in the three-man defence, interpreted in an unusual way: "With this solution we wanted to create superiority and always find a free man. It was a position that nobody expected and it gave us many solutions with the ball".
Third place in the standings at the winter break is a result that few would have predicted at the end of the summer, but Croci-Torti preferred not to make any definitive judgments: "We are halfway through the season. I am happy that I stuck to my guns and did not get carried away by negativity in difficult moments. We still have a lot to learn and we must not make the mistakes of last year in the second half of the season,' he said.
Finally, a look at the future, between group management and the market: 'With few injuries this can already be a very good team. We have to be smart, understand what to improve and be ready. If someone should leave, it will only be in front of an offer impossible to refuse".
So FC Lugano goes to the winter break with renewed certainties and a clear message: the road taken is the right one, now continuity is needed also in the new year.