On the eve of Torino’s match against Inter Milan, coach Paolo Vanoli addressed the media in a press conference. Due to his suspension, assistant coach Godinho will be on the sidelines for the game.
Vanoli emphasized the importance of belief in the team’s approach: “We must believe in what we’re doing. Negative periods are part of the journey, and a team like ours can’t be perfect as we’re still improving our mechanisms. We need to be balanced. We know we’re facing a great team, but to achieve something important, we need courage. We must play with personality.”
Reflecting on the team’s performance against AC Milan, Vanoli noted, “When you grow in mentality, you always want to do something: sometimes it works out better, sometimes worse. It’s a process of ups and downs.”
The coach also discussed the return of Nikola Vlasic, who has been sidelined for an extended period: “Unfortunately, Vlasic was only cleared today because he had a fever yesterday. Today is his birthday, we’ve caught him by the hair… He’s an important player, and it’s up to me to put him in the best conditions.”
Vanoli highlighted Vlasic’s versatility and importance to the team: “Beyond the idea of play, there’s the quality of the individual, and someone who can beat their man is fundamental. Against Lazio, the action for Adams’ goal came from his feet. He can play as an offensive midfielder, but he also knows how to sacrifice himself.”
The coach praised Vlasic’s work ethic but cautioned about the need for patience: “He’s a person who trains with great intensity, like a great player. We also need the patience to wait for a guy who’s been out for three months. He’s eager but needs to find his best form. I’ll have to figure out how to use him.”
Vanoli concluded by discussing the team’s tactical approach and analyzing their defensive performance: “We need to learn to have our own ideas. In the first half against Lazio or in the first half against Lecce, I told the guys to be proud because we need to understand how to develop the final third. We’ve conceded many goals, but I’ve analyzed them, and out of 49 chances conceded, 16 came from defensive transitions, and three were goals.”
