Venezia manager Eusebio Di Francesco spoke with the media ahead of his team’s challenging trip to San Siro to face Inter Milan on Sunday evening. Following Venezia’s recent victory against Udinese, Di Francesco expressed cautious optimism about the upcoming match against the reigning Italian champions.
When asked about Venezia’s approach to the game, Di Francesco stated, “We must believe. As we’ve done in recent matches. Let’s call it a formidable challenge, as some might define it, but our job is to believe. Knowing we’re up against the Italian Champions, we’ll need to be good at exploiting our chances.”
Regarding team news, the manager confirmed, “We have everyone available except Bjarkason. This time I believe he should return after the break. I’m not clear on the lineup yet, I’ll assess the players’ condition in the coming days.”
Di Francesco praised his team’s recent improvements, saying, “I’m pleased with our ability to stay in the game. To have the clarity we had, unlike in Monza, capitalizing on the numerical superiority, for example. I see growth in the team and individually, for instance from players who come off the bench and make a difference.”
When asked about potential tactical surprises against Inter, Di Francesco hinted, “Well, we always need to create something. I like having dynamism from the team, strategies are different. Strategy today is more important than tactics.”
The manager also commented on the growth of young player Oristanio: “He’s having great overall growth, in staying in the game, in entering in the right way. At the same time, he still lacks that consistency that would make him take a further step.”
Addressing the challenge posed by Inter’s playing style, Di Francesco observed, “I believe there isn’t a fixed formation because it’s dynamic. You find midfielders in place of the wide center-backs. They have great intelligence, but also quality, which makes them somewhat unpredictable.”
Finally, Di Francesco reflected on his team’s progress since their last visit to San Siro: “I believe we’ve shown our identity on several occasions, not just against Udinese. Clearly, against Milan it was the game where we showed it the least. Certain stadiums can also intimidate you if you’re not used to them, and maybe this time our legs will tremble less.”
