Fiorentina’s Italiano: We could still hurt Roma

Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Italiano has shared his thoughts following his side’s draw against Roma, in a post-match interview with sports broadcaster DAZN.

According to Italiano, Fiorentina could have been more damaging against Roma, despite their robust second-half performance. “We did everything to get back into the match. We had many opportunities to score,” said Italiano, adding, “we could have taken advantage of a Roma team that was only thinking defensively.”

Italiano commended his team for their extraordinary play and character, despite giving away the goal foolishly. “We could have continued to circulate the ball and in response, they made a great play”, Italiano said, noting that they were battling against a strong team.

When asked about the game expectations, Italiano indicated that the strength of Roma’s initial game had them under pressure. However, he praised his team’s determination that enabled them to dominate the match.

Regarding Nico Gonzalez’s contribution, Italiano said, “He did the finishing touch, just a few centimetres from scoring a header. We’re glad to have him recovered.”

The Fiorentina coach went on to describe his team as progressively getting better, albeit with some initial periods when they weren’t at their best. “We continue to offer outstanding performances against the big clubs. We have plenty of scoring opportunities, we need to improve under the goal post,” said Italiano.

Italiano believes that with young and promising players like Kayode, who are delivering great performances, Fiorentina is on the right path.

As for their season target, Italiano said the aim is to improve their seventh and eighth-place position. “From the seventh position onwards is an objective. We’re doing everything to move forward,” Italiano clarified. He added that anything they gain at the end of the year will be a result of these performances.