Spalletti demands more from his players after Plzen draw

Diego Perotti converted from the penalty spot after just four minutes to give the visitors the lead at the Doosan Arena, only for Marek Bakos' header to cancel that out soon after.

The Giallorossi could not find a winning goal in the remaining 80 minutes, ensuring their started their Europa League campaign with a fr

"We have to do more and play better," Spalletti said. "We made a good start, we could have managed the game but they responded with strength and physicality.

"We could have taken the game by the scruff of the neck yet we made life easier for them and they took full advantage."

He added: "We should never have conceded that goal but that's the way of things, if you can't dictate proceedings, the opposition give everything, haul themselves - body and soul - over every hurdle and it becomes tough.

"We have to be calmer and show greater character to manage certain situations because we have to do more."

You issued Iturbe with an ultimatum...

"No, it wasn't an ultimatum, I picked him because I thought he could respond and the verdict on that has been put back to the next match."

Overall you had more of the game. Should you have made greater use of your dominance in the middle of the park?

"Yes, that's what I was referring to. When you win the ball back and move it, you play a forward pass, a sideways ball and you're on top. Or we would have been had we had the guts, calm and desire to keep the ball properly. It seems like they're not wholly convinced of their ability. We should have run the game more in the middle of the park."

Spells of dominance, then it all went a bit flat. Would you agree it was a case of tired minds?

"That theory has some weight to it. We had the ball pinched off our toes at times. On other occasions we weren't aggressive enough to win the ball back and a few times we strayed offside.

"We have to find solutions to be more consistent throughout the game. Everyone has to give that bit extra in matches like these. We haven't managed to get the sort of performances out of everyone that you expect in a fixture like this."

Gerson?

"All things considered, he played well. He didn't play badly but I believe those who aren't in the team need to take their chances when picked. We have to do more, especially the players who don't feature as much - they have to show desire and intensity."