Ahead of the trip to Palermo, head coach Roberto Donadoni spoke to the media: “I saw Romano in training for the first time today and my impression was definitely positive. He’s a young player with real upside and he made a strong first impact. He comes from a system where he’s used to playing a certain kind of football, and this season he’s worked under a well-prepared coach like Gasperini. That means he’s well equipped, and for us it’s exciting to work with young players who have quality and hunger.
Valoti is a more experienced player, an important one for this division. He’s won championships before, and his contribution could be very significant for us. Obviously he doesn’t have many minutes in his legs right now, but it’s up to us to get him up to speed as quickly as possible.
The Bolzano match? When it comes to our attackers, I think we have a group with similar characteristics in terms of how they play. It’s true that in a very physical game a stronger physical presence might help, but everything starts with the mental side. Even if I’m not as strong as my opponent, I have to use my own qualities intelligently and avoid turning everything into a pure physical duel. You have to find the right solutions. All of this helps you grow and understand that to play football you need initiative and the courage to take risks, without ever being passive. The same applies to the defensive unit, where in recent weeks we’ve also had to manage some issues due to minor injuries.
In Palermo I don’t want to hear anyone say that we have nothing to lose. They have twice as many points as we do because they’ve earned them on the field. But we have to do everything possible to take points there, fight for every ball and walk off the pitch knowing we gave everything. That’s fundamental.
Vlahovic? Since I arrived, he’s had chances to show his value. Now he also needs to play with conviction and confidence. Age is not an issue, someone like Comotto, who’s just 17, has shown he belongs at this level, and we’ve also brought in Romano, another young player with quality. The new signings had no trouble fitting in because this is a positive group made up of true professionals. Of course, we can’t keep being so inconsistent in results and performances; we need to find the continuity that’s been missing so far.
Problems on set pieces? We need to shake off anxiety and fear and attack the ball with conviction—this applies both defensively and offensively. Too much tension is harmful. Feeling pressure is normal, but you have to turn it into an advantage that sharpens your focus, not into negative tension that leads to more mistakes.
Comotto? He’s a young player who’s growing, and the way we’re using him is aimed precisely at helping that development.
Bandinelli? He’s close to returning. We could have pushed it for Palermo, but we don’t want to risk losing him for a long stretch. We’d rather wait another week so he can fully recover and be available for Avellino.
One of our goals in the transfer market was to bring in players with clear minds, players who could also help us shake off some of the psychological negativity we’ve been carrying.
The Palermo match? We have to stay focused on what we need to do on the field, nothing else. Facing a team at the top of the table should be motivating. There can’t be fear—it’s up to us to prove something. You can’t go to Palermo worried and then play like that.
Everything is on track with the plans we had in mind. I want to thank the sporting director and the ownership, because they’re doing a great job. They understood our needs and they’re continuing to work in that direction.
Having possession of the ball is important, but it has to lead to something; otherwise it’s pointless. In the second half in Bolzano our attitude was positive, both in terms of intensity and the desire to make things happen. When that spirit is there, you start to see something good. At the same time, we need to be more ruthless and decisive in front of goal, and that’s probably an area where we’re still lacking a bit".
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