Cagliari midfielder Alessandro Romano was at the centre of Fabio Pisacane's post-match remarks after the Sardinians defeated Atalanta 2-1 away on matchday four of Serie A 2026-27, with Pisacane describing the 20-year-old as "a gem" in his assessment of a performance that lifted his side to fourth place on nine points.
The result matters beyond the three points. Cagliari have now won three of their four league matches, conceding only twice across that run, and a victory away against Maurizio Sarri's Atalanta — one of the division's established forces — is the kind of result that separates genuine contenders from early-season flatterers. Pisacane's side did not simply absorb and counter; the coach explained that his team sought to exploit the difficulties Atalanta encountered with their own tactical identity, a detail that speaks to a level of preparation unusual for a club of Cagliari's resources.
Romano himself has not yet contributed a goal or an assist across his four Serie A appearances this season, and his average rating of 6.69 places him in functional rather than decisive territory. But Pisacane's public endorsement carries its own weight. A coach who has guided his team to nine points from four matches does not single out a 20-year-old midfielder without reason, and the label "gem" from a man whose tactical clarity is already drawing praise from senior players — Harry Winks credited Pisacane with giving Cagliari the belief to face anyone — suggests Romano's contribution registers in ways the scoresheet does not yet capture.
The broader picture for Romano is one of accumulation. His AI overall sits at 70 out of 100, with a potential of 78, and the gap between those two numbers is the space his development must now fill. At 20, playing regular Serie A football under a coach who trusts him enough to praise him publicly after a landmark away win, the conditions are as favourable as they could reasonably be. The Coppa Italia has offered additional minutes — two appearances in that competition, separate from his league work — giving Romano a volume of competitive football that young midfielders at larger clubs rarely access so early.
Cagliari's defensive record — two goals conceded in four matches — also provides Romano with a stable platform. Midfielders develop faster when the team is not perpetually chasing games, and a side that wins without conceding freely is one where a young player can take risks in possession and learn from mistakes without immediate crisis.
Pisacane was clear that this result is not the destination: "Cagliari, this is not the goal." Romano, for his part, has a coach who sees the gem and a table that, for now, reflects the polish.