Salernitana coach Davide Nicola explained how his side were able to secure an unlikely draw against AC Milan in their bid to avoid relegation.
The Campania-based side secured a somewhat unlikely return to the top flight when they were promoted from Serie B last season, but they have been in the relegation zone since the second round of the campaign and had 3 wins, 4 draws and 16 losses, plus a -36 goal difference heading into the draw against Milan.
They had Fabrizio Castori as head coach for the first eight games of the season, the man who brought them back up to Serie A after a 22-year absence, and he was then sacked for Stefano Colantuono who lasted until the recent draw against Genoa.
Now, former Genoa and Torino manager Davide Nicola is in charge and he took on Milan as his first opponent, earning a draw that he reflected upon during an interview with DAZN after the game.
“If you give me teams that have to fight for survival, it’s not like I can fight for much else. Our goal is to gratify an extraordinary crowd,” he said (via MilanNews).
“Today I don’t think Milan managed to play the game they had in mind. I saw a live team, a team that wants to propose a game. I don’t know what we will do, but surely what we will do we will do it thanks to this crowd.
“Satisfaction relates to the attitude of the whole environment. We were welcomed in an incredible way. We helped each other out. I think this team has potential. I don’t think there are other ways to reach a difficult goal than with courage and organisation.
“The choices I make are two thirds by instinct and a third by wisdom. It’s a joke. When they called me, I didn’t think too much about it. I believe in it only by working and maintaining my balance and my enthusiasm.
“I don’t know if we will make it, but what I care about is how and what we want to do it. The boys have already given me an answer tonight. If there is this kind of attitude, you are more likely to do something important.”
You praise Salernitana because Pioli is so stupid
Pioli is so stupid that’s why
He keeps Diaz and Leo in field mother fucker
Put some one has blood
Fuck Pioli
He is succeeding because Maldini advised him
He is so stupid