Paolo Vanoli has explained his decision to field an extremely attacking formation for Fiorentina in their Conference League quarter-final match against Crystal Palace. He stated, “Of course, we believe, and we need players who are capable of scoring goals.”
The match is scheduled to commence at the Stadio Artemio Franchi at 20:00 UK time (21:00 CEST).
A minute of silence will be observed before kickoff, and the Fiorentina team will wear black armbands in memory of Alex Manninger, who served as their goalkeeper during the 2001-02 season. Vanoli expressed his sorrow, saying, “It’s a tragedy. I learned about it this afternoon. Alex was an exceptional young man; I was fortunate enough to play with him here in Florence. We are close to his family, and it’s difficult to find the words.”
The Viola face a significant challenge in their pursuit of reaching a fourth consecutive Conference League semi-final, having suffered a 3-0 defeat in the first leg at Selhurst Park.
“Naturally, we all believe, and so do these fans, who have shown once again, despite a challenging season, that they are behind us. It’s a dream, so we must always have faith. To achieve something like this, the players must give 110 percent,” Vanoli remarked.
“We are up against a strong opponent, but we have been achieving some positive results recently in Serie A. As I mentioned in the first leg, what disappointed me was not having a full squad to choose from for this tie.”
The team is dealing with several absences due to injuries, including Moise Kean, Marco Brescianini, Fabiano Parisi, Tariq Lamptey, and Niccolò Fortini. Additionally, Dodo is suspended and unavailable at right-back.
The chosen formation is notably offensive, featuring four strikers playing together, supported by creative midfielders Nicolò Fagioli and Rolando Mandragora. It remains uncertain whether Marin Pongracic or Pietro Comuzzo will fill in as a makeshift right-back.
“To accomplish something remarkable, mentality and belief are paramount, as the players need to deliver their best performance of the season,” Vanoli continued. “We are aware it will be difficult, as Crystal Palace demonstrated their ability to capitalize on the first mistake. However, we must attempt something that will be remembered in Fiorentina’s history, especially in a season that has been complicated from the outset.”
Fiorentina’s primary focus this season was to avoid relegation from Serie A, a goal they are now close to achieving, having established an eight-point lead over the relegation zone. This was bolstered by their 1-0 victory over Lazio on Monday evening, which has somewhat alleviated the intense pressure on the team.
“When I selected the lineup, I realized that to overcome this deficit, we need players who can score goals. Robin Gosens is another example, as he is very dangerous from set pieces and makes runs to the far post. Everything can become crucial tonight,” the coach concluded.