The coach on the defender’s exclusion: “The teammates’ displeasure is understandable, but there’s also great enthusiasm”
“I’m the one to ask you a question, before yours: do you think I made a choice like this lightly?”. Milena Bertolini – without ever deviating from the polite tones that belong to her – immediately looks for a counterattack, in order not to be cornered. Sara Gama’s exclusion from the World Cup is the central theme of what should have been a quiet press conference (already scheduled) after the retreat in Brunico. But obviously, before any other speech, the coach had to have her say on the decision that will direct – in one way or another – the blue expedition to Australia and New Zealand.
the reasons
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“It is my duty and responsibility to try and make the best decisions – he explained -, Sara’s exclusion is mainly a technical, tactical and physical choice. Many young people are growing up, for the idea of football that I want to bring to the World Cup, I think there are players ahead of her at the moment”. It is precisely that predominantly that intrigues. With the natural thought, submitted to the coach, that perhaps a non-starter Sara Gama (after all, she has not been in the national team since the last European Championship in July 2022, even if she finished the season very well with Juventus) could be cumbersome. “It is not easy or immediate to imagine yourself in other roles within the team – Bertolini replies between the lines -, it takes time, but I have to choose 23 players, all immediately ready”. As if to say: Gama as a reserve – with his curriculum vitae, her charisma and above all the habit of so many years always spent on the front line – perhaps better not.
other clothes?
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On the times and ways in which the decision was communicated, as well as on the reactions (especially on social media) of the teammates, Bertolini replies: “There is no right time for such a complicated decision, even from a personal point of view, seen my history with female players. I phoned Sara when I resolved all doubts. There is understandable displeasure in the teammates, but I also see great enthusiasm in the daily work”. The blue coach has instead raised the wall in the face of the hypothesis – aired by Gama via social media – of a departure for the World Cup with another off-field role, to be agreed with the FIGC: “It’s a topic that concerns management choices, I can’t give an answer”.
new faces
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Bertolini also explained the other exclusions from the group of 32 (especially that of Aurora Galli) with exclusively technical/tactical reasons, opening a window on the possible inclusion of some new faces in the squad for the World Cup. This is the case of Julie Piga, a French player from Fleury with an Italian passport, who is very impressive precisely in the role of central defender (among other things, Milan seems to like her a lot): “She has physicality, aerial skills and great aggression – he describes her like this Bertolini – we will see how much he will be able to understand our mechanisms coming from another championship”. And then, among others, there’s Giulia Dragoni, a 16-year-old starlet (ex Inter) who is enchanting with Barcelona’s second team: “She’s very talented and she’s gone through the entire youth team in the blues, so she knows the ‘environment. She will stay with us and we will evaluate her, then everything will depend on her and what she will show us ”.
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