Live TMW
1.15pm – In a few minutes the Bologna coach, Vincenzo Italiano, will speak at a press conference ahead of tomorrow afternoon’s match between Bologna and Lecce. We at TUTTOmercatoWEB.com offer you the direct text of his statements
1.31pm – The Italiano press conference begins
You have taken the “monkey” of the failed victory off your shoulders. Tomorrow there is another home match and the watchword is continuity.
“Yes, that’s what we have to try to achieve after a performance like that of Cagliari to which we have to try to give value, also given what we showed even though, especially in the second half, we loosened our grip a little. In any case attention and quality were important characteristics for this victory and which I would like to see again tomorrow, going onto the pitch with the same eyes as Cagliari. I am happy with how we reacted to the goals from Genoa: I hope that tomorrow the boys will take to the pitch with that attitude tomorrow too”.
Do you think the team may unconsciously pay a bit for the pressure when playing at home?
“Thinking back to the home games – apart from Parma – we have always produced a lot and risked little. Sometimes it’s also a question of a bit of good luck… Already in the first season of the championship we had the chance to bring it home, so like with Atalanta we must try to improve further, with great patience, without the desire to win.”
The team has shown that it has a good physical level, but there are elements that are difficult to leave out, such as Ndoye and Odgaar. How many chances do they have of playing tomorrow? On Skoruspki, how much does he give on the pitch beyond the saves?
“With three days to prepare for the matches, there is time to recover our energy. At the moment we are fine, and I am happy with how the boys are working to recover. I believe that we can currently perform at a high level. Skorupski like Ravaglia and Bagnolini is a great professional: our trainers are really enthusiastic about working with players like that. Skorupski and Ravaglia now have Bologna tattooed on them, and when they enter the field they do so by giving everything top”.
How much did De Silvestri’s presence influence Cagliari’s victory?
“He too now has a great attachment to the shirt. I like it when this spirit is there: even when he came out he tried to lend a hand to the coach and his teammates. It’s nice to see guys like him who care so much about recovering points that unfortunately we have left aside in recent days. The spirit of previous years is still there”.
What does it mean for the group to have found Lewis Ferguson again?
“We took him with us to Cagliari to let him get a taste of the match atmosphere even though he couldn’t take to the field due to a flu syndrome. He’s much better and is also improving in training: he’s coming back from a serious problem and will slowly improve his condition. I see him focused and attentive and I am convinced that he can add great quality to our team.”
Has Odgaard found his “home” on the pitch today?
“I think those are his building blocks, although Odgaard is a very available boy and knows how to adapt well to all positions. At the moment he is very satisfied with how things are going and we will continue to propose him in that position again.”
Is Lykogiannis recovered for tomorrow? What Lecce do you expect tomorrow?
“We don’t have Lykogiannis back due to a severe calf bruise suffered in Birmingham. Lecce is a team that always knows how to stay afloat, that always finds the strength to react and that has very fast players. We have to be very careful also because we are one of the teams that makes the most mistakes in the opponent’s half and these are mistakes that we cannot afford.”