Lecce coach Eusebio Di Francesco humorously stated that while their dramatic 3-2 triumph over Sassuolo hasn’t guaranteed Serie A survival, it certainly served as a “cardiac stress test.”
Entering this penultimate round, the Salentini held a slender one-point lead over Cremonese and the relegation zone. This precarious position remains unchanged, as while Cremonese secured a 1-0 away win against Udinese, Lecce had to endure until the 96th minute to match their rivals’ result.
Walid Cheddira had put Lecce 2-1 ahead, only for Andrea Pinamonti’s audacious back-heel flick to level the score. However, Nikola Stulic ultimately fired in the decisive winner deep into stoppage time.
Di Francesco Reflects on Lecce’s Emotional Strain
“If I didn’t have a heart attack tonight…” Di Francesco quipped to Sky Sport Italia, adding, “I think this was less of a match and more of a cardiac stress test, and evidently, I passed.”
The touchline was a scene of palpable tension after the late goal, with Di Francesco and Sassuolo coach Fabio Grosso exchanging words. “I heard some talk about respect, but come on, let’s not be silly,” the Lecce tactician responded when questioned about the incident.
Had it not been for Stulic’s late strike, Lecce would have entered the final matchday staring at relegation. Now, however, their fate remains firmly in their own hands.
“Cheddira has always given his heart and soul on the pitch; he’s looked really bright recently. I was convinced that he and Stulic could help us at the crucial moment, and I only told my director this week that Stulic was the one who would get us to our objective.”
Remarkably, this marks the first time this season that Di Francesco’s team has managed to score three goals in a single match.
“The team always created dangerous situations, but we were lacking something in the final ball. I only knew one road forward, which was to work in training and try to replicate that in the match situation. On the other hand, we didn’t defend as well as we could have this evening, and Sassuolo had many scoring opportunities, so we lost our balance.”
While safety is not yet mathematically secured, a victory against Genoa at the Stadio Via del Mare next week would see Lecce avoid the drop and send Jamie Vardy’s Cremonese down to Serie B.
“This team has worked with order and discipline for an entire season, two great virtues. There might be sides with more quality, just look at Sassuolo, for example, but we did well.”