Fabio Grosso interview: “Sassuolo, continue like this”

The sun sets behind the pitch where the Sassuolo children train. The spotlights illuminate the mini players, but the ones that shine are the eyes of Fabio Grosso who looks at them from the second floor of the splendid Mapei Center. Speaking of his team’s excellent start, Grosso says that “the club’s objective is clear, but I like that the boys take to the field without brakes, with the desire to reach their limits and at that point with the will to raise the bar”. Over there, the children who compete for the ball think the same way: they want to win but have fun and at that age, rightly, there are no limits. Not even dreams. Grown-up football is obviously more complex, but we always start from there. With this mentality, Sassuolo is traveling strong: four victories, thirteen points, a surprising identity given the many new signings and a light soul. Many merits go to this coach who doesn’t like to talk (“Do we really have to do the interview?”), but who in reality always finds many significant things to say to his players and on whom the club is placing strong hopes (“He will become a great coach” assures Giovanni Carnevali before leaving the office).

Fabio, what do you like about Sassuolo’s departure?

“The margins for growth. We need balance especially in positive moments, we need to evaluate the situation well and have the objective in mind. But I don’t want salvation to be a brake: we have to be ambitious.”

Is courage one of your distinctive traits?

“Yes. We want to try. I don’t have any particular dogmas, but we always field three openly offensive players plus two who are offensive by nature. We could change and be a little more conservative, but I like this attitude.”

Did the defeat in Cremona on the second day, after the defeat on your debut against Napoli, give you any doubts? His record in Serie A that day was five defeats in five games considering his short experience in Brescia.

“Doubts always accompany me, but you shouldn’t turn them into worries otherwise you immerse yourself in negativity. I focus on the present. And if there is a difficult moment I take a few steps back, broaden the scenario and refocus. My experience in Brescia was particular, I was in too much of a hurry, but it helped me understand certain things.”

Even when you lost, you always stayed in the game. And only against Napoli did you lose with a two-goal margin. Sign of maturity?

“It’s something I push a lot on: you shouldn’t settle. You can always do better and you should never let a game go.”

You have had little so far from Berardi and Laurienté in terms of goals and assists, perhaps it’s a good thing because he has discovered what Fadera and Volpato can give.

“Since there is the possibility of making five substitutions, we need to make everyone involved. I believe that talking to the players is important. I did it a lot with Laurienté in training camp: Armand is tough, he could perform much better, I always tell him. I also speak often with Volpato: he has important qualities and little by little they are coming out. Pinamonti just needs to understand that he can reach a really high level. I repeat to Koné, who is very good, to put his qualities more at the service of his teammates, by relating more with them on the pitch. In general in the locker room I say that on Sunday I choose the player, but during the week I work with the men: a difference that seems subtle, but there is a whole world in there. When I train I follow certain evaluations, in training I see the growth paths that are important and bear fruit.”

Yesterday Muharemovic renewed his contract until 2031. You played with great defenders: who reminds you of the young Bosnian?

“It’s better not to name any names. But he has charisma, enormous qualities and room for improvement. He applies himself really well in training.”

What did Matic add to the group?

“Humility and availability. We already knew the player, the man is a splendid discovery: he supports and helps everyone else.”

Since the time of Di Francesco, Sassuolo has often shown a codified game. The impression is that you are working to make sure that your Sassuolo is more fluid and ready to do different things and adapt.

“I like it that way. I give information to the kids who are prepared when they go on the pitch. But it’s up to them to recognize the best solutions. An overly codified game can block you if you think of something different and perhaps more functional.”

In these concepts we review a bit of Marcello Lippi.

“Yes, it’s something I learned from him. Which doesn’t mean anarchy or improvisation, but the ability to read the moment and make the right choice. I’m very demanding with the team, because I’m first and foremost with myself. The point made at the start is valid: I don’t put brakes on them and I don’t put them on myself. We all want to grow together: me, the boys, Sassuolo. We’re coming from the bottom, the leap is notable. But it’s nice to jump. We work very well here, it’s the ideal club. And I like it also being in contact with the children who are training, saying something to them, hugging them. I think back to my beginnings, I love environments in which you mature in the right way.”