This week is all about football. No, we are not talking about this little tournament in Brazil, but about the AEGEE Cup, a big sports tournament of youth and students organisations in Cagliari, organized by AEGEE-Cagliari. The team of the Sardinian antenna lost the football final in the past two years, but this time it will be all different! This hopes at least Network Commissioner Mattia Abis, who will not only play, but also coach the AEGEE-Cagliari team this year.
Golden Times: What is the competition about?
Mattia Abis: It is a competition between local associations and usually between eight and ten are taking part in it. All of them are students organisations, except for two, who are youth organisations. But these terms are a bit tricky also in AEGEE. The competition is organized by AEGEE-Cagliari. Till two years ago there was only a football competition, last year we organized also a basketball and a volleyball one.
Golden Times: It’s all on the same date?
Mattia: No, the football tournament is on the 11th of June, the basketball tournament on Thursday and the beachvolley competition on Friday. If everything goes as scheduled, the football final will take place on Wednesday at 7 pm.
Golden Times: AEGEE-Cagliari has teams in all three competitions?
Mattia: Of course yes!
Golden Times: This tournament has a long tradition?
Mattia: We organized the first one five years ago, so it is becoming a tradition.
Golden Times: Your antenna has a regular football team?
Mattia: Let’s say yes, we are used to play many times during the year, although the current year we played less than usually. We are organizing friendly matches against other associations or among the AEGEE-Cagliari members.
Golden Times: Last year you lost the final match. Against whom did you play?
Mattia: Yes, unfortunately we lost the final match against “TDM 2000”, the same thing happened the year before. So traditionally we are always losing the final! Last year we lost also the basketball one! The score of the last football final was 7-6 for them if I am not wrong.
Golden Times: Are your chances better this time?
Mattia: It is difficult to make a forecast! I don’t know exactly the players of the other teams, but we still have four players that took part in the last two finals, plus new good ones. So, I hope that we will play again the final match then.
Golden Times: Which position do you play?
Mattia: Well, in general my position would be left midfielder or holding midfielder, but in the AEGEE-Cagliari team I’m usually playing as striker.
Golden Times: Did you score some goals?
Mattia: Yes, I scored some goals, but not so many as I would have like to. Yesterday I scored the victory goal in the last friendly match before the tournament.
Golden Times: Who is the best player in your team?
Mattia: I would definitely say Valentino Poddie, our former PR responsible. Good technique and foot. He reminds me of Roberto Baggio.
Golden Times: Can only members participate or can you invite some friends to play?
Mattia: No, it is only for registered members of the associations taking part in the tournaments. You cannot invite friends.
Golden Times: This year you will also be coach of your team. Is it your first time as coach?
Mattia (laughing): Yes, I have to decide which players to change and our tactics.
Golden Times: How many people will come and watch? Your whole antenna?
Mattia: The whole antenna – that is impossible, but last year the tribunes were full of supporters of all the associations. Especially AEGEE-Cagliari members, who were also cheering a lot for us. I think that this year there will even be more people!
Golden Times: Will there be a video stream of the final?
Mattia (laughing): In a few days you will know everything! For the moment there will be no video stream, but we are thinking about it for the next year, since one association is Unica Radio and they have the possibility to organize it!
The event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/654329371287071/
