Shop
Juan Jesus, Patrik Schick and Stephan El Shaarawy (two) grabbed the goals for the Giallorossi, as the home side sealed a valuable win before the latest international break.
How did the team prepare for this game?
“On set pieces we did some work with our opponents in mind, as we always do. Jesus moved into space where the ball wasn’t expected to fall and managed to score. We’re improving. If your physical and technical performance is not married with a psychological edge, then it’s worthless. I’m chopping and changing things, so as to achieve greater balance, particularly from a mental point of view. Bryan Cristante is among those that are improving – many of them are. We’ve dropped points in games where we deserved more, but we’ve still got time to make up for that.”
What do you think about the crowd’s tribute to Patrick Schick?
“There’s a right time for everything. He’s said himself that he needs to continue working hard, and that’s right. He needs to find that spark but scoring will no doubt boost his confidence, so I’m really happy for him. He’s got great quality. It wasn’t just the supporters waiting for him to score, but everyone – including the coach.”
Was today’s match one of the best performances of the season?
“We’ve found our balance and we’ve assimilated certain concepts. The boys prepared for today’s game very well indeed. We were up against a very aggressive side and, with a simple passing game, we managed to move them around the pitch. That’s what made the difference today.”
Are you happy about Gregoire Defrel’s goal?
“At the end of the match I told him he shouldn’t have scored against us! Jokes aside, that was a really good goal he scored. I think he’s an excellent player, with real quality. He’s a fantastic guy too.”
Is Schick a centre forward?
“He’s got the ability to play there. Last season, against Barcelona, I played him near to Edin Dzeko in a 3-4-3 formation. He’s very capable in certain situations and when attacking the goal. We could well see him playing alongside Dzeko again, so we can get more bodies into the penalty box. He’s quick, energetic and has good technical ability – he can play in many different roles.”
What is Stephan El Shaarawy capable of? Is he lacking consistency?
“There are forwards with particular characteristics that this happens too – they often lack consistency. That said I’m really happy with Stephan, aside from the goals he scored. He maintained a constant level of performance from start to finish.”
Imperium Partners
Centurion Partners
