As Venezia prepare to face Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, head coach Eusebio Di Francesco spoke to the media about the team’s approach following a series of positive results. After two draws against Como and Juventus, followed by a victory over Cagliari, Venezia aims to finish 2024 on a high note.
When asked how the team would tackle the upcoming match, Di Francesco emphasized the importance of maintaining a fighting spirit: “We are certainly working in this direction, tying ourselves to the concept of a fighting spirit that must never be lacking. We cannot lose our fighting spirit against a strong team like Napoli; we must not lose balance.”
Addressing Napoli’s strengths, he stated, “They are a team that is working in a certain direction, with a determined and winning coach. I know him personally and he will not leave anything to chance. Can it be prohibitive? So be it; our growth path must also go through these matches.”
Di Francesco expressed confidence in his team’s ability to perform against top opponents: “We start with the desire to have a great game based on results, but it must come through spirit and balance, which we are working on. We need to navigate through different moments of the match, staying engaged whether we are in favorable or unfavorable situations. Recently, we’ve taken a step forward, and now we need to maintain that; we will go there to get a result.”
On injury updates, he mentioned, “We lost Andersen for three days due to an issue at home, but he trained today and will be part of the match. Doumbia had a minor problem and won’t play; otherwise, it’s the usual injuries.”
Regarding his starting eleven, Di Francesco noted: “I have always changed some players; I always field those I think are most suited for the match we are about to face. But we must understand that substitutions are crucial. We are still looking to improve in that area; we can certainly do better.”
He also highlighted the importance of goals from defenders: “It’s great; those extra goals often lead to victories. We are also working well on set pieces. In defense, we lack some structure and risk conceding from them, but we are working to improve.”
With Andersen’s availability uncertain, he mentioned potential replacements: “Yes, but there are also Bjarkason and Ellertsson who have shown they can adapt. If I don’t have solutions, I will invent them.”
When asked about giving Sverko more freedom to attack after his performance against Cagliari, Di Francesco replied: “Inter and Atalanta teach this. Sverko has the technical abilities to do it; he’s somewhat of a midfielder given his footwork. He still doesn’t fully realize what he can do with the ball at his feet, but obviously, the primary characteristic of a defender must be to defend.”
In discussing how to manage physical attackers like Lukaku without Svoboda available, he said: “In midfield, we will confirm Idzes. Lukaku is good at linking up with teammates and coming deep. He creates space; we know this, but we need to create many traps for the numerous players Napoli has. We need to play as a team.”
Di Francesco also praised players like Altare who may not get much playing time but contribute when called upon: “Giorgio is one of those players who plays for ‘us’ rather than ‘me.’ He needs to be ready when I call on him; the most important job for a coach is getting those who play less to perform well.”
Finally, when asked if being out of the relegation zone would allow for more freedom in their playstyle, he cautioned: “We must not lose humility; it’s a tough match. I would like to look at the standings further down the line; right now, we need to work hard while maintaining both external and internal balances.”
