Marco Giampaolo, the new head coach of Lecce, addressed the media ahead of his debut match against Venezia. The experienced manager expressed his eagerness to return to the sidelines and shared his initial thoughts on the team’s preparation and challenges.
Giampaolo began by reflecting on his return to coaching: “Some time has passed, but it’s as if I never left the field. It was like getting back on a bicycle. I imagine and hope it will be the same after tomorrow evening.”
Regarding the team’s readiness for the upcoming match, Giampaolo acknowledged the limited preparation time: “I only recovered 5-6 players on Thursday. We’ve had two training sessions with the full squad. There are many things to do, but time can’t be bought. I need to give as few instructions as possible to the players, otherwise, we risk creating confusion.”
The coach emphasized the importance of on-field work and the right mentality: “To perform well on the field, you need to work on the field. Then we need determination, desire, awareness that it will be an important match, professionalism, and respect for one’s work.”
Giampaolo outlined his immediate tactical focus: “I think we need to increase the percentage of ball possession because it allows you to ease pressure and gain some confidence. We’ve worked on this aspect. If there’s one detail I’d like to see tomorrow evening, it’s taking responsibility, having courage, making an extra pass, and not giving the ball away.”
When asked about the upcoming opponent, Venezia, Giampaolo praised their style of play: “They play well. They have clear ideas. In possession, they know what they want. Against Inter, they lost 1-0 and in the last minute, they played instead of just kicking the ball away. This says a lot about the mentality the coach has transferred to his team.”
The new Lecce manager also touched on individual players, including Sansone, who has had some minor issues but trained recently, and Marchwinski, whose position is still being evaluated. Giampaolo noted the team’s abundance of midfielders and wingers, despite the absence of Banda.
Regarding tactical flexibility, Giampaolo stated: “I believe that most players can play in multiple positions, like Pierotti. Banda maybe plays better on the left, as does Sansone. Oudin perhaps plays better on the right.”
