In the press room at Orogel Stadium-Dino Manuzzi, head coach Alessandro Diamanti previewed the Cesena FC vs. Mantova 1911 match, part of the third matchday of the 2026/27 Serie BKT season and scheduled for Sunday, September 6, at 3:00 p.m. at Orogel Stadium-Dino Manuzzi.

“Will we see Cesena come out strong in the opening minutes tomorrow? I hope to see Cesena play with intensity for all 95 minutes of the match. We have to play our game, and Mantova will play theirs. Mantova is undoubtedly a team in good form, with players who have great stamina, play as a unit, and have great spirit. It will be a tough match, and we’ll do everything we can to be ready. The guys are ready. It’s been another solid week, which doesn’t mean winning or losing, but it means doing things right.”

“Tomorrow is only the third game. We’ve embarked on a new journey and have done so with great enthusiasm. It’s normal that every game has its own story. We’re glad Mantova is in good form, because that means it’ll be a great, competitive match. We enjoy playing these kinds of games, we can’t wait. We’ve prepared for it, and we respect our opponents. It’s true they’re in good form, but don’t you think we are too? We focus on our own game, and that’s how it should be—always with great humility and great respect for the opponent.”

“Honestly, I’ve always seen great enthusiasm in the guys, even when we lost 3–0 to Sassuolo in the Coppa Italia. I’ll say it again: our work doesn’t change based on a loss, a win, or a draw. We analyze everything that happened on the field — what we did well and what we did poorly — because we want to improve; they’re the first ones who want to improve. Then, week after week, day by day, we keep building on that. In Chiavari they finished the game exhausted, but to win games you have to finish them exhausted. Winning games is hard, guys. This is the commitment and attitude you need to have in every game, because we know full well that there are no easy games. I’ve played 600 games and I don’t remember a single one where I said, ‘Oh well, today’s an easy one.’ No, matches have to be played all the way to the end, and you always have to give it your all. That’s soccer.”

“Did we take a few too many risks in Chiavari? It depends on how you define ‘risk.’ As far as I’m concerned, I don’t see risks: I see hard work, and the guys are doing a great job with it. I prefer to play and be in control; I like it when the guys control the match because they’re good at doing that. If you start firing away recklessly, the game inevitably becomes a fifty-fifty affair and you lose control. There are moments in the game when you have to play the ball and then go vertical, and we try them all. We have a strategy that the players must interpret to read the key moments of the game. As I always tell them: we, as the coaching staff, give you options and information, but then it’s up to you to play on the field. I want to leave the decision-making to the team; I don’t want robots, I want players who think for themselves and are capable of making judgments. Then, whether they make the right or wrong choice, we’ll see: if they make the wrong one, we’ll correct it, while if they make the right one, we’ll keep emphasizing that approach to try to raise the level of play. That’s our job as the coaching staff.”

The full press conference is available on the YouTube channel of Cesena FC: