Italiano: “Fiorentina were too timid in the first half’

Vincenzo Italiano admits that Fiorentina were too timid against Juventus in the first half: ‘We had too much respect for them.’ A first half goal from Federico Gatti was enough to settle the tie, but the Viola looked much improved in the second half of the match, forcing a world class save from goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny. Speaking post-match, Italiano conceded that his team lacked management of the ball in the opening exchanges, which ultimately cost them the match:

“Too much respect at the start for this Juve, too timid, not skilled enough in managing even the possibility of possession,” he remarked. “Indeed, we tried to remedy this by utilizing Maxime’s abilities, even bringing in Beltran to play alongside Bonaventura and attempting to raise our midfield’s presence. And we succeeded, creating many opportunities to equalize. However, in my opinion, we paid the price for that first half where we were not proactive enough. We didn’t penetrate the penalty area much, and once we conceded a goal there, it became tough.”

The coach acknowledged the recurring theme of 1-0 defeats against Juventus, expressing some regret. “For the third consecutive year, it’s another 1-0 defeat, three years where we also leave with a bit of bitterness, a bit of regret because in all three years, we could have tried to hurt this Juve more,” he lamented. However, he found solace in the team’s performance in the second half, emphasizing their display of personality and quality. “Personally, with many commitments still ahead, I take away this second half. A second half of great personality, great quality, we created a lot,” he added.

Responding to a question about Juventus’ aggression and Fiorentina’s shortcomings, he emphasized the physical prowess of Juventus and highlighted Fiorentina’s lack of speed in ball movement and depth. “What Juventus does when they prepare or when they want to put pressure on opponents in the initial stages of possession, I think it’s something that can trouble you because they have physicality, they are strong on their legs, they are physically strong,” he explained. “Plus, our lack of speed in passing the ball, we never skipped a pass, we never went deep, and we allowed them to engage in all the one-on-one battles. That’s where I think we went wrong in the first half.”

Regarding the team’s lack of quality, he suggested exploring alternative attacking methods and individual improvements. “Perhaps we still need to add some other way of attacking, some other movement to trouble these teams that then decide to only defend,” he proposed. “Unfortunately, if none of that materializes, you lose games, so I think in addition to everything we try, we seek to develop, we try to optimize to score goals, we need to step up individually.”

He acknowledged the challenges posed by forced substitutions and strategic decisions, underscoring the importance of maintaining team identity amidst changes. “If the result didn’t come today, I don’t think it’s because two players from the previous game didn’t play,” he asserted. “These are the questions a coach asks himself, and they’re really thoughts that sometimes keep you awake. But the team doesn’t lose its identity, the organization remains intact, and what we search for, we manage to reproduce.”

In conclusion, he expressed satisfaction with the team’s overall condition and availability of players, highlighting their resilience in various competitions. “Having everyone involved, everyone in great condition, everyone able to contribute, I believe having 27 players all available is a great result,” he concluded. “Both last year and this year, it’s allowing us to go far in all competitions.”