The meeting between Claudio Ranieri and the Cagliari management should take place in the afternoon. The technical and managerial guarantees requested by the Testaccio coach remain, considered an inseparable starting point for his return to Sardinia after 31 years. Meanwhile "his" players wait and almost cry out for a miracle. Or rather, they hope so. The veterans of the 1988-'89 and 1989-'90 seasons, those of the jump to Serie A from Serie C, plead the cause of the arrival of Claudio Ranieri.

Starting with Lucio Bernardini, captain of that extraordinary Cagliari : «If it were true, it would be a surprise: Claudio is a coach of international caliber, now the rossoblù are in Serie B», argues Ranieri's former number 10 from Città di Castello. «Perhaps he believes that in rossoblù he can close the circle, given that he began his coaching career at high levels on the island. Of course, he always wants to get involved and this, for the fans, is a guarantee».

Even Ivo Pulga, who was Cagliari's coach under Cellino's presidency, welcomes the great return : «If he called I'd go back to being his assistant without batting an eyelid», Pulga jokes. «Also in the past it was said that he could return to Serie A, but perhaps the coach valued the fact that in Sardinia he had written history in those three extraordinary years. If he's really doing it now, in a situation where he has to roll up his sleeves, it's because he believes it. He will certainly ask for important technical and managerial guarantees: we are talking about Claudio Ranieri». As for the team's prospects, he said: «Liverani wasn't the right coach, I'm sure this team will at least make the playoffs. The ranking is very short, if there is the shock that we all hope for, a string of victories or a little more will be enough: let's not wrap our heads ».

Raffaele Paolino, striker of that team, recalls : «The only one who can save this shack that is sinking is Claudio Ranieri», he explains. «Personally, I think he's already signed: he's the only one who can revive Cagliari and calm the square, I've been saying that for two years."

Guglielmo Coppola is the only voice out of the chorus, so much so that he expresses skepticism: «I hope so for the whole island, but for his return I see it difficult», he says. "In any case, I don't believe it until, in the case, it becomes official." Gianluca Festa concludes with a reasoned reflection : «I think the choice to return to a team where he made history and where he was loved very much is not easy, because in these cases, in case of failure, there is the risk of obscuring even all that was good in the past. Having said this, I personally would be happy for his return for the good of Cagliari: his coaching and human qualities would be very important in trying to put back the team in a position to play the possibility of returning to Serie A. I think that in any case we will have to go back to the market to add something to the squad. The choice to return to Cagliari It would do the coach a lot of honour: at his age, with everything he's won, I think it's a beautiful, almost romantic thing to get back in the game. He knows very well what the Serie B championship is like, so it won't be a surprise when you have to fight ball for every ball and when there are very trivial mistakes, he will certainly be able to transfer enthusiasm and tactical competence to his players. Ranieri, on every occasion, recalled his experience with Cagliari as one of the best of his career, coming from someone who has coached top-level teams it has great significance. I hope», concludes Festa, «that an agreement will be reached with Ranieri and that our team will be able to recover as soon as possible».

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