Monza coach Raffaele Palladino believes his team deserved at least a draw following their 2-1 defeat to Juventus. The Bianconeri took the lead through Adrien Rabiot but were pegged back, thanks to a late equaliser from Valentin Carboni, only for Federico Gatti to score a late winner with just seconds left on the clock. Speaking in the post-match, Palladino drew positives from his sides performance, highlighting the maturity his players showed in getting a goal back:
“I would not start from the final minutes, but I would start from a great team performance. The final goal was also a fortuitous one, because it seems to me that I saw that Gatti also missed the ball. It’s a pity, because we really had given a great demonstration of maturity, a great test against a great team. And I’m proud of my boys, we must be proud of what we played tonight. We really put heart, soul on the pitch, everything, technical quality, physical quality. The team really gave everything and in my opinion we also deserved the draw.”
“Picking players? The choices come according to what I see during the week. We simply didn’t want to give references to Juventus, who in any case have three very physical, very strong defenders. Ciurria had performed very well during the week, it’s a role he knows how to do, and we played well in the first half. We were a bit sterile because Juve also defended very well, even low. But we only suffered from throw-ins and corners, where we got the goal. But in my opinion it was a good first half by the team. In the second half the changes obviously gave us a turn, also on a physical level, we also changed our system of play, we switched to four at the back. I’d say we played a very good game, so it was a pity because we believed in it until the end. Once we scored the equalizer it was almost done, but it’s a pity because we were a bit light in losing a defensive duel and obviously Juve punished us”.
“The team was patient, they were good at reading even situations where we could put Juventus in trouble. It was difficult to enter, but the space was there and Valentin did very well, I congratulate him. But those who really came in made the difference today. Also Andrea Carboni, they really gave the team liveliness and they entered with great personality”.
“When we face the big teams, especially in the week we face the big teams, I see in the players’ eyes, in their attitude, in the intensity they put into training, that they want to play. This is part of a good path that we took last year, of a mentality that everyone has reached and it’s nice, because to play against the team that’s first in the standings today and go out with regret, we must all be proud, from the club to us on the field. Too bad, there is regret, I never want to lose, but I am proud of my boys.
“Milan, Napoli and Inter next? I expect what they simply did tonight, but what we’ve been doing since last year: playing with everyone, with this mentality, with this attitude, with our principles of play. Playing football, because we must never distort ourselves according to the opponent. One is as good as the other, we play with everyone and we will try to do well this month as well.
