Vincenzo Italiano expresses a sense of relief as Fiorentina secures a victory against Lazio, a result that ends a prolonged period of struggle against their opponent. Italiano highlights the team’s exceptional attitude and successful strategic approach, marking a significant turnaround in their fortunes.
The Tuscans had encountered considerable difficulty in previous encounters with Lazio, with only one victory in their last 14 competitive matches and suffering defeats in 10 of those encounters prior to this recent triumph.
“Finally we managed to beat Lazio after three years,” sighed Italiano on Sky Sport Italia.
“I feel immense joy, because aside from getting back to winning ways, it was a fantastic performance from the lads and we caused huge problems for a Lazio side that had been tough for us.”
Fiorentina encountered a series of setbacks during their match at the Stadio Franchi, where they struck the woodwork on three occasions in the opening half before conceding a goal to Luis Alberto just before halftime.
Their fortunes shifted as they managed to equalize through Michael Kayode, whose shot also found the back of the net via the underside of the crossbar. Despite this resurgence, Fiorentina faced further frustration when Nico Gonzalez’s penalty struck the upright.
Nevertheless, Giacomo Bonaventura emerged as the hero by converting the rebound from an Ivan Provedel save, ultimately securing the crucial three points. This victory propelled Fiorentina past Lazio, allowing them to claim seventh place in the standings.
“We had prepared something different with Beltran’s position, having Bonaventura a bit deeper than previous games, and it brought three points. Everyone sacrificed themselves and pushed hard, when you play with this focus, quality and mentality, it pays off. The attitude of the lads was extraordinary, as missing a penalty could’ve really killed us.
“The plan was not allowing Lazio to counter-attack, we thought the more we had the ball at our feet, the less danger we would face. Beltran and Bonaventura were connecting the midfield and defence.”
When Kayode scored the equaliser, Italiano was entirely impassive on the touchline, then refused to watch the Nico Gonzalez penalty.
“We are accustomed to some ugly surprises, especially in the final minutes. You can never relax against Lazio, as they have such quality and only need one moment of magic from their forwards to change a game. I asked Nico what was happening with the penalties, he swore he will convert the next one. He promised. If he misses again, he’s in trouble!
“I am so happy for the lads and saw them celebrate in the locker room like the old days. When you prepare a match and see it work on the field, that is immensely satisfying. This was a much better performance than we’ve had recently, we had several steps forward in terms of attitude and quality, and those are the elements that win you games.”