Venezia manager Eusebio Di Francesco addressed the media ahead of his team’s crucial match against Bologna following a disappointing defeat to Lecce. The loss has raised questions about his future, but Di Francesco remains focused on the task at hand.
Reflecting on the mental and physical state of his squad, Di Francesco stated, “We have some doubts regarding Nicolussi Caviglia due to a minor issue, Anderson will be absent for family reasons, and Zampano is out with a hand problem. We hope to recover him for the next match. Mentally, we have licked our wounds after a match where we suffered in terms of results but not in performance.”
The coach emphasized the importance of the upcoming match against Bologna: “This is a difficult game, but we have shown that we can compete. We need to be ready; this match is vital for us.”
When asked about his thoughts after the loss to Lecce, he admitted, “I didn’t sleep well. At Coverciano, we learned the ‘three Cs’ rule: consistency, competence, and you can guess the third (he smiled). But we cannot rely on luck. This team deserves more satisfaction.”
Di Francesco expressed his feelings about the team’s performance: “I am angry about how we played. There have been many destructive comments surrounding us lately.”
On whether he feels more worried or determined, he responded, “A bit of worry is always necessary in life. When I leave home, I often hear ‘be careful,’ a phrase I used to hear from my mother. But I agree that we need to put on our helmets; it’s a tough game ahead.”
Addressing speculation about his job security, Di Francesco said, “If you have blinders on, you might think what you said is true. Sometimes it’s important to look at what is presented. I don’t seek excuses and wouldn’t blame a club for making different choices; that’s part of the game. Right now, it’s the last thing on my mind. I’m focused on working and achieving results.”
Regarding team selection, he noted that goalkeeper Joronen is also unavailable due to injury: “He hasn’t recovered yet. Zampano had already played with issues in our last match; this discomfort has worsened.”
Discussing the psychological impact of recent performances, Di Francesco acknowledged the challenge: “Yes, we’ve worked on this aspect. Imagine being on the field and watching opponents score with their first shot on goal. It’s rare to create so many chances without converting them.”
Looking ahead to Bologna, he assessed their strengths: “They have a strong squad and played well against Lille. Bologna is an excellent team; Italiano knows how to create an aggressive and proactive side that excels at creating numerical superiority on the wings.”
