Calò Matches Pirlo's Vision as Alvini Urges Italy Call-Up After Defeat
Frosinone coach Massimiliano Alvini delivered a detailed assessment of his side’s performance following their 1-0 Serie A defeat to Cagliari in Sardinia. A sole strike from Michel Adopo condemned the visiting side to a loss, halting their strong early-season momentum.
Despite sitting sixth in the table coming into the fixture following their promotion from Serie B, Frosinone failed to convert their opportunities against Cagliari’s defensive structure. The result leaves the squad focused on gathering points to secure top-flight safety.
Frosinone
clubMassimiliano Alvini voiced his frustration regarding the team’s efficiency in front of goal and their early approach to the match, acknowledging that his side left the pitch empty-handed.
“We return home empty-handed. It wasn’t the best approach at the start, but we still had plenty of scoring opportunities, so there are regrets at the result. All credit to Cagliari, but we could’ve gone home with something today. We didn’t grab hold of the game the way we should’ve done, and when we did have it in hand, we were unable to make the most of our chances. Maybe we weren’t as sharp as usual, and need to do better against defences who clam up.”
The tactical challenge for Frosinone came down to breaking down a deep-lying defensive block, the low block setup deployed by the opposition to compress space in the final third. Alvini noted that the squad lacked their typical sharpness when penetrating packed spaces, emphasizing that continuing their transition to the top level requires better solutions against opposition low blocks.
Massimiliano Alvini
coachAlvini also addressed the ongoing debate regarding 29-year-old midfielder Giacomo Calò, offering a firm endorsement of the playmaker’s international credentials and tactical profile.
“It is a matter of characteristics and qualities. Italy won the Euros with Jorginho, that type of player, and before that the World Cup with Pirlo in that role. Today, we hand the midfield over to Niccolò Fagioli, while Alessandro Romano is more of a mezz’ala in my view. Calò might be 29 years old, but he can still have his say, and bring the kind of passing vision there that Italy has always had. Seeing as Manuel Locatelli is injured, I believe Calò could’ve been in the squad and would suit Mancini’s team.”
The manager’s backing highlights the specific distribution responsibilities Calò carries within Frosinone’s setup. Operating as a deep-lying playmaker, Calò offers passing range across the central zone, a structural necessity when building play against compact defensive schemes. By drawing comparisons to former national team deep playmakers, Alvini framed Calò’s technical qualities as a natural fit for international selection alongside hybrid central midfielders, often referred to as a mezz’ala, a wide central midfielder tasked with box-to-box movement.
Alvini’s post-match comments were delivered to Sky Sport Italia.