Raphael Kofler has played his second Serie A match. © cagliaricalcio

Kofler “without fear”: That’s what the Italian press says

Raphael Kofler made his second appearance in Serie A on Monday evening. The Italian newspapers subsequently praised the young South Tyrolean.

September 08, 2026

From: dl

Following his starting appearance in the Coppa Italia against Hellas Verona, Kofler again came on as a substitute in the 1-0 home win in Serie A against Lecce. As against Inter, the 21-year-old was brought on after about an hour and performed with the same high level of concentration and composure that fans have come to expect from Kofler during his time at FC Südtirol.

Kofler hasn't made any real mistakes so far. The Rabland native still needs to find his feet in the new league. Therefore, Kofler isn't taking big risks in his build-up play. But Kofler has always been reliable. Coach Fabio Pisacane is known for championing young players and is giving Kofler his chances to prove himself at the start of the season.

Raphael Kofler (front, second from left) celebrated his first home win with Cagliari. © cagliaricalcio

Against Lecce, Kofler and his teammates had everything under control in the final stages. The visitors only managed a single scoring opportunity in the closing minutes. Kofler has impressed in his three home appearances so far with his jumping ability and heading prowess. Physically, the 1,93-meter-tall center-back is simply a force to be reckoned with. Journal of Sport Kofler's substitution against Lecce was commented on with the following words: "Entra e controlla senza affanni", which roughly translates to "without fear".

Two grade 6s

Tuttosport He wrote of an "ingresso convinto," meaning a convincing performance. Both Italian sports dailies gave Kofler a grade of 6 for his play. This is something to build on. Cagliari's next match is on Saturday evening away against Atalanta. Ironically, it could be in Bergamo, near South Tyrol, that Kofler makes his first away appearance in Serie A.