FC Lugano resumed the league campaign with a convincing 4-0 win over Lucerne, consolidating their top spot in the table and building on their victory in Lausanne before the break. In his post-match comments, Mattia Croci-Torti expressed particular satisfaction with the team’s attitude, highlighting the work carried out over the past few weeks and the great commitment shown by the squad.
THE RESPONSE AFTER VERONA
The manager first reflected on the friendly defeat against Hellas Verona, an incident he considers significant in the build-up to the match against Lucerne. The squad’s reaction during the week is one of the aspects that pleases him most: “I was pleased to see the team focused. I’m absolutely convinced that this match is also a result of the friendly against Verona. When you lose matches like that, you realise that if you don’t give 100 per cent, you can find yourself in trouble against anyone. The team reacted really well and, after that defeat, we trained with incredible intensity.”
A response that translated into a convincing performance, in which the bianconeri showed the determination demanded by the manager right from the start.
CONFIDENCE AND COMPETITION
Regardless of the result, Croci-Torti identifies consistency in their work as one of the key factors behind the team’s current run of form: “Confidence comes from hard work, from consistency, from believing in what you do, and from not wavering in your convictions even when the going gets tough. The team knows what it is capable of and continues to believe in itself.”
However, according to the manager, the depth of the squad is also making a difference. Against Lucerne, the substitutes had an impact on the result, confirming the quality of the options available: “Competition within this team is starting to get fierce. To earn a starting place, you have to give it your all in training, and this raises everyone’s standard. Today we have a very strong bench, and I’ll probably be the one facing the toughest decisions, given the choices I’ll have to make in the coming weeks. But these are challenges I hope to face all the time.”
DOS SANTOS AND THE INDIVIDUALS
Among the stars of the evening, Daniel Dos Santos stood out, scoring a brace and playing a key role in building attacking moves. Croci-Torti highlighted his journey, recalling the difficulties he faced after his injury and the faith he has continued to place in him: “Dos Santos is a sensational lad. Last year he took this team to the next level with his twelve assists. He suffered a serious injury and struggled because he wasn’t at his best in the early matches. I wanted to stick with him because I know how important he is, and now that he’s carrying us forward, it was only right to recognise his contribution.”
There were also positive words for Yanis Cimignani, praised for his ability to adapt to the team’s needs and contribute in various areas of the pitch: “Today he made loads of clean passes, switched play several times and gave that little bit extra on second balls. Sometimes you need lads who do everything and do it well. Cimignani is one of those lads.”
Managing a large and competitive squad is now key ahead of the numerous closely-spaced fixtures. Following their victory over Luzern, the bianconeri face a week in which they will be in action across three competitions, starting with Thursday’s home fixture against Red Star Belgrade, which marks the opening matchday of the League Phase of the UEFA Conference League.