Live TMW
12.50 – Good afternoon, friends of TUTTOmercatoWEB! After beating Como at home, Empoli are called to another survival clash, the difficult away match against Lecce. In a few minutes you will be able to attend the press conference of the Tuscan coach Roberto D’Aversa on the eve of this important match against the Salento team.
13.10 – The conference begins.
What match are you expecting and what are Lecce expecting tomorrow?
“Lecce have won many head-to-head matches at home, it’s an environment that pushes a lot. This match is important, we have to be good at reducing the momentum of enthusiasm and we have to do this by playing our best physically and mentally.”
This match is a former match in a place where you were the protagonist. How do you experience the return?
“After what happened I remained to live in Lecce, either because the children went to school or because we had many friends. I will be happy to see many people again, even within the club. I cannot forget the emotions I experienced during that stadium, like when we overturned against Lazio and Milan. Having said that, it is clear that I am the coach of Empoli and it is right that we go into it thinking about the fact that this is an important match.”
How is Haas seeing?
“I have to say that from day one there are many players who have changed the hierarchies. I like to get to know one player and train him, and then I draw my considerations. He is always someone who goes at two hundred an hour and raises morale, the one what he is having is nothing given. What he is doing he is doing it because he deserves it and for what he gives.”
Are these upcoming matches a crossroads?
“We have to think about our situation but remain focused on this. We need to recover energy, especially from a mental point of view. Now we just have to think about tomorrow’s match, but nothing can be defined tomorrow. We are still far from the objective”
Lecce had two more days of rest. What do you say?
“Nowadays when the fixture lists come out it’s not possible to please everyone. We haven’t been lucky but we have to think about what we can have an impact on. Certainly two days less means you can prepare for the match more quickly”
How much satisfaction does the defensive phase give you?
“When the collective works, the individual also stands out. This aspect is very important, not only for us who have to save ourselves. Often the best defenses are the ones that win, usually the goal difference reflects the ranking position. They take care of this aspect all the players, what we need to improve is to have the same determination in the defensive phase also in the final phase. Sometimes there is the goalkeeper, sometimes there are the centimeters, but for me there is no such thing as luck. In terms of the number of goals scored, we need to improve a lot, but I’m not just talking about the attackers. I would like the boys to be able to determine more up front, where you end up you have to be more determined.”
What kind of attitude does Lecce have?
“Lecce have changed their game system and attitude, even if their attitude is perhaps different between away and at home. They defend 4-5-1, they are compact, we have to think about their merits and try to highlight those defects that they will show. They have good players, we have to be clear, technically sound and good at winning duels.”
1.25pm – End the conference.