Cagliari coach Gianfranco Zola has justified the drastic rotation he applied to his side for Wednesday's 2-1 defeat to Parma in the Coppa Italia by saying they need to focus on their Serie A campaign.
Zola fielded a makeshift starting XI at the Stadio Tardini, making 10 changes to his team and even playing captain and midfielder Daniele Conti in the heart of a three-man defence.
"It was something new that we wanted to try," Zola told his club's official website. "Daniele did a good job, but I always expect more from somebody like him, no matter what position he plays in.
"We would have liked to have shown more respect for this competition, but at the moment we simply have other priorities. I'm nevertheless satisfied with what the team did. Some light is starting to shine through, although at times we also show that we're lacking conviction and we're afraid."
Parma go on to face either Juventus or Hellas Verona in the Coppa Italia quarterfinals, while Cagliari, who have a six-point advantage over the Gialloblu in Serie A, can now focus all of their efforts on getting out of the bottom three.
Two points currently separate the Sardinians, who sit in 18th place, from safety and Sunday's trip to Udinese should see Zola restore his first-choice starting XI.