Coach Di Francesco is raising his guard: "Lecce, now I want consistency."

In Parma, Lecce will look to build on their strong performance in the home draw against Bologna, building on what impressed them most. "The team's determination, the players' determination to stay in the game until the end, and their consistency throughout the match were key," emphasized Eusebio Di Francesco in his presentation of the away match against Bologna (tomorrow at 3 p.m.). Against Bologna, the decision to field two midfielders in front of the defense paid off: "Positive responses. We showed we can deploy both with a one-two, meaning a playmaker and two central midfielders, and with a two-one, meaning two midfielders and a more advanced midfielder. It's useful to have some options."

Beyond the playing system, approach and mentality matter: "You can't ignore your attitude. Those who started the game had the right attitude, as did those who came on as substitutes. There are always multiple matches within the same game. Against the Rossoblu, we were a team when it came to struggling because we conceded, but at the same time, we proved very dangerous when we attacked. We need to maintain our ability to be aggressive from the opposition's midfield, but also to recognize the different heights on the pitch. We're working hard in this direction. The players are improving. Right now, however, we're missing the three points. We need a win. Considering how many chances we created, we deserved it against Bologna."

Regarding Parma, fresh from their win over Torino, he says: "They play with five and therefore have greater width. We wouldn't need to look for it. We'll have to be better at closing down the game than opening it up. We'll have to find internal solutions. Furthermore, the Ducali have players like Cutrone and Oristanio, who allow for certain attacking options. Therefore, we'll have to be good when we have to close down. We'll need the right strategy. For example, no one pointed out that against Bologna we scored our first goal by building from the back." Regarding his colleague Carlos Cuesta: "He's given Parma a clear identity. Up front, they have Pellegrino, who wins many duels, knows how to assert himself in the box and protect the ball, with Cutrone circling around him and having experience and being a hard worker. In midfield, they have Bernabè, a quality player, and Keita, a good breakaway player. Furthermore, Valeri has a great foot, and Suzuki a very long clearance. It's a team that knows what it wants."

Both the Emilian and Salento teams boast several young players: "In these cases, the support of more experienced players is crucial. Even more so in crucial matches. Parma has made careful transfer decisions based on club policy." The only player missing from Lecce is Tete Morente (first-degree injury to his left calf), who is out for approximately three weeks: "Berisha has recovered, and the same goes for Sottil." Regarding the Spaniard, Alex Sala said: "He has the necessary characteristics to build play, but he comes from a different style of football than ours and needs to improve tactically. We're working on it."

Filip Marchwinski will be available again soon: "He's training with us now. I talk to him every day. After an intense training session with the rest of the team, he needed to recover because it's not easy to adapt to the workload when you're recovering from a serious injury. The next week's break will be crucial for him because, so far, he's not been the center of attention when it comes to preparing for matches, since he's not ready." He's getting to know the players in the squad better: "There are matches where you better understand what works best for the team. With Bologna, I realized that it can be useful to pair certain players with specific characteristics in midfield. But not all matches are the same, and in other matches, it might be necessary to make different choices. The thing that must never be missing is competitive spirit and fighting spirit. And it's up to me to be good at making the guys understand that." At the center of the attack, the alternative is between Nikola Stulic and Francesco Camarda: "We've built the squad for a specific formation (4-3-3, ed.), but also with the understanding that there are other players who can play as strikers. The match against Bologna was going a certain way, and I wanted someone with more pace, power, and the ability to close down the penalty area and apply pressure on the opposition. I've focused on Pierotti. Sottil and Morente can do the same, albeit with different qualities and as long as we don't forget that they're wingers. In training, we're trying out different solutions in other areas of the pitch, too. Numerically, we're fine. It's up to me to tailor the right fit for each player."

Returning to the match against Bologna, Lecce likely missed a penalty, with the score at 1-2, for a foul on Konan N'Dri in the penalty area: "Only one TV channel mentioned it in the TV analysis. One measure was used for the foul on Kouassi, for which the referee awarded the penalty, and another for the one on N'Dri. I ask for uniformity of judgment. VAR exists, and it's our duty to use it to properly evaluate incidents."