In the aftermath of Fiorentina’s hard-fought 4-3 victory over Maccabi Haifa, Vincenzo Italiano praised his team’s resilience but cautioned against complacency in the Conference League. The Viola faced unexpected difficulties on neutral ground in Budapest, despite taking an early lead through M’Bala Nzola in the second minute. Maccabi Haifa twice came from behind to lead, with Lucas Beltran and Rolando Mandragora leveling the scores, before Manuel Cafumana’s reckless sending off and a deflected Antonin Barak winner in stoppage time.
Italiano, speaking to Sky Sport Italia, reflected on the match:
“The result is positive and that is what we wanted, as in the first leg you must set yourself up for the return. We have a small advantage, we reacted to going behind with a show of character that I liked.”
While acknowledging the positive aspects of the performance, Italiano also highlighted areas for improvement: “We could’ve avoided conceding a few goals and scored a few more, but a positive result is what we wanted, I liked the reaction and we build on that.”
Despite Maccabi Haifa’s efficient use of limited chances, Italiano stressed the need for greater defensive awareness: “We must learn to sniff out danger and recognize those moments before they happen. In some moments in Europe especially, we simply cannot be that superficial.”
Fiorentina’s tendency to concede cheap goals despite dominating possession has been a recurring issue under Italiano’s management. He emphasized the importance of defensive focus: “We need to be less superficial and improve in every training session, every match, every aspect.”
Italiano also highlighted the return of injured players as a significant boost for Fiorentina: “Many players who were injured are getting back into shape and that really makes the difference. They bring extra quality and we need them in the next two and a half months.”
Regarding Lucas Beltran’s performance, Italiano praised the player’s versatility and intelligence: “He is an intelligent player, so versatile, and in football it really helps to have players who use their minds as well as their feet. He is proving that and can meet different requirements.”
