For Leonardo Pavoletti, this is his eighth training camp for Cagliari . And it could also be his last. It's a question of age and aches and pains: "My head tells me to keep playing, but my body, and especially my knee, makes me think..."
The rossoblù captain's first thoughts go to his new leader, Fabio Pisacane: "It's a choice that fosters a sense of belonging and shows that those who do well in Cagliari, on merit, always find doors open here." Then comes the most sensitive topic, Pavoletti's possible "last dance": "I'm still very much a player, but I have to deal with my body. I'm evaluating it day by day, and I hope to experience this (possible) last year as a player, not a spectator. But I'll understand in the coming months. Because the Verona match makes me think I can still play. Only my knee can stop me ."
No plans for next year: "Last year I said I'd score ten goals, but I only managed one. I'd never felt so good after my last surgery, but it wasn't easy to always get into tricky situations . I was fine, but I had very few chances."
Pavoletti sends a message to the younger players ("Leave your cell phones behind, always arrive at training with maximum concentration") and admits: "Rejoining Pisacane as coach was a great feeling, I still have to force myself to call him 'mister'." Last thoughts. One for his friend Marko Rog: "He's been through just as much as I have, it would be great to have him with us on the pitch and in the locker room all year. He and the coach have spoken, and this openness gives me hope; I'll be rooting for him." And a word of advice for Roberto Piccoli: " He'd benefit from a season as the team's leader. We all know how strong he is and we love him . He'd be wrong to think he wants to leave, but I haven't seen any of these signs ."