On the eve of Torino vs. Parma, scheduled for 20.45 CEST tomorrow at Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, Coach Roberto D’Aversa spoke with journalists. Here is what he had to say:
“I repeat what I said before the match against Crotone. I expect the team to go out on the pitch in a dignified manner, with the utmost professionalism, with love for the colours we wear. This I demand. There are five games to go, and I expect this in every game. Unlike the Cagliari match, which from the point of view of the result was a devastating blow, and in which we made mistakes, but I could hardly blame the commitment or the fight, the first half with Crotone seemed to be a sign of surrender and this, regardless of the result, we cannot afford. I want the lads to always walk with their heads held high. Then we can discuss errors, shortcomings, abilities, but not the rest”.
“We have been carrying an injury problem for a long time. We have never been used to making alibis or making excuses. Unfortunately, at this moment in time, the most decimated department is the attacking one. We will take action by using players with offensive characteristics as we have done in the past. What matters most is the interpretation of the game. This year we were also affected by not having done our normal preparation, the fact that there were three months of lockdowns, the number of injuries increased everywhere. It’s a matter that we have already dealt with and I think that, at the end of the season, we need to sit down and evaluate all the problems that may have influenced such a high number of injuries. Mihaila, for example, had a groin problem and is continuing to work on it”.
“The President is showing love in setting up an important club, in planning and in designing the new stadium. As for me, as for us, we don’t have to think about this sort of planning, but to face every single game doing the best we can do. Nothing must change for us, quite the contrary. What we need to do now is finish the championship with dignity. Right now, the only thing we think about is trying to finish this season by improving in a few statistics: goals conceded and, above all, the number of points to be won”.
“I know the President well enough, when he says there are five games to go, and he still believes in survival it’s because he really thinks so. He is a positive, proactive person, and what he is sure of – and I am sure of it too – is that whatever the final result of this season is, it will certainly not compromise the plans that he has in mind. I don’t think the problem is Parma’s future, because that will be rosy. Let us worry about the present, as there are still games to be faced. The first is tomorrow’s match against Torino. We have to honour the championship, the jersey we wear, our profession. Even after some crushing blows, the President has always been positive and tried to raise the team’s spirits. The regret, on my part, on the part of the boys, is not having responded with the same energy to all the sacrifices made by the President this year”.
“We have prepared during the week for tomorrow’s game. I am quite close friends with Coach Nicola, we respect each other, and we will do battle again tomorrow. Both teams will try to win the match. We are facing a strong team, who are fighting for a goal and have a better position in the table than us. They are a team that two years ago qualified for the Europa League. They might expect to find a team short of goals in front of them, but we cannot afford this. So, we have to give important signals, to ourselves but also to Torino. Our will must be to get a result”.
“The guys who played for the Primavera yesterday are not available for tomorrow, having played yesterday. Priority was given to this match, so I can’t consider the guys who played yesterday. They are young, you can’t think of letting them play two games in two days at this level”.
(Photo Getty Images)
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Source: legaseriea.it
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