After the home defeat in the Coppa Italia at the hands of Sassuolo, Lecce president Saverio Sticchi Damiani, like coach Gotti, wanted to emphasize the problems with the scheduling, which, according to him, significantly penalizes teams like Lecce.
He also focused on the his side's next match at San Siro against Milan. Here are his statements, as relayed via Milan News:
"The Coppa Italia must be a priority when playing at home, in front of a full stadium, with a Curva cheering for ninety minutes, and especially in front of so many young fans. However, we came from an exhausting match in every respect against Parma, with another match so close ahead, like the one against Milan scheduled for Friday night. Nevertheless, those who take the field must honor every competition. I have to say that today there were moments in the game where the attitude was not what I expected."
On the schedule, the Lecce president said:
"It’s odd because we played today, and we have to play again on Friday. There aren’t many Serie A teams playing in the Coppa Italia on a Tuesday, yet we were given an early game. With a more rational schedule, Luca Gotti could have made different choices on the field compared to those made today."
On Milan, he commented:
"They are an opponent in great form, as they showed by deservedly winning the derby. We must try to collect points in every opportunity; it's a tough challenge but a beautiful and motivating one. However, it's unfortunate to play it with such a short recovery time after the Coppa Italia match."
