Monza clinched a 1-0 victory against Cagliari, securing their second consecutive win after last week’s triumph over Genoa. The winning goal came from Daniel Maldini, who netted a stunning free-kick, and following the match, Monza coach Raffaele Palladino praised his players for another hard-fought win:
“I haven’t seen the standings yet, but I’ve been told it’s very pleasing. We’re satisfied and proud. I’m lucky to coach a great group. I thank the boys; they’ve shown personality, character, and a sense of belonging. They always want to be competitive and take on everyone. We want to be a bit of a wildcard, causing trouble for everyone. We want to try, to be ambitious. We know it won’t be easy to stay on the left side of the table, but we have enthusiasm. Europe wasn’t a seasonal goal; our ‘Scudetto’ was safety. Now that we’ve achieved this objective, we’re happy. We’ll approach the remaining matches with lightness and enthusiasm, but above all with a desire to surprise and compete with everyone. We’ve improved in many aspects. Today’s match wasn’t technically beautiful, but these victories are also important.”
Continuing, the Monza coach added, “Maldini is a sincere guy. Today, he pulled off this magic trick out of nowhere, but he has these shots; he has immense talent. Sometimes players don’t need to try things out; some things are in their DNA. Until that moment, he hadn’t played well; he was below par, off rhythm. But it was also his first start, and a bit of emotion is normal. But I liked it because he showed personality in taking the ball and kicking it that way, with that quality. With Daniel, I’ve tried to give him confidence and daily dialogue. He trains with great intensity; he needed this continuity. He’s a player of great talent. Perhaps he was a bit labeled by this heavy name he carries, and he also felt this weight, even in the media. I didn’t give weight to this; I made him feel important at the right times. Now he’s ready to make a difference.”
Finally, Palladino concluded, “During the week, we work a lot; I have many demands in training, a lot of pace. I believe that nowadays, in Serie A, you have to be in good shape. We have to compensate with running for the great technical qualities of the teams on the left side of the table. I ask a lot, it’s true, but I try to establish a relationship of give and take. I’m lucky; I have a great group. The boys never complain and work very hard.”
During the press conference, Palladino also added, “Regarding the club’s future, I’ve read a little, but I haven’t asked anyone anything. Galliani and Fininvest will know how to provide certain news; I’m unaware of the facts. As for the field, just getting more points than next season would be a great achievement. We’ll think about my future on May 27th; our future is now.”
