Paolo Vanoli has commented on Fiorentina’s continued vulnerability following their 4-0 defeat to Roma, but stressed that the team’s progress since his arrival should not be overlooked. He described the situation upon his appointment as a “catastrophe.”
Fiorentina might have felt a sense of relief before kickoff, hearing that Cremonese had lost their match. This result virtually ensures Fiorentina’s safety from relegation, a remarkable turnaround given they were at the bottom of the league when Vanoli took charge.
Vanoli acknowledged that external results should not serve as an excuse for their performance. “The fact is, we switched off completely after their first goal, also thanks to a great performance from Roma, so we must congratulate them this evening,” he told Sky Sport Italia.
The team appeared stunned at the Stadio Olimpico, conceding two goals within the first 17 minutes. Roma secured their comprehensive victory with further goals, completing a 4-0 rout.
Despite the setback, Vanoli urged his players to remain resilient. “We’ve had a great run to get here, we’ve got to keep our heads up, because mistakes happen and at times this fragility comes back out, like it did against Udinese.”
Vanoli introduced young striker Riccardo Braschi late in the game, noting the importance of providing opportunities to emerging talent, especially with several forwards currently sidelined due to injury. “I would’ve been happier for him if he had scored, but we had many young players with us this season and I’ve always tried to give them a chance. You need to let these lads grow, he is working hard in training and showed some of what he can do tonight.”
Regarding Albert Gudmundsson, Vanoli defended the player, explaining that his inconsistent performances are partly due to being deployed in various positions. “It is not all his fault, because he’s been moved around in a few different positions lately. If he was supporting a centre-forward, it would go better for him, but we were in an emergency situation and he has been helping out.”
Director Fabio Paratici indicated that discussions about Vanoli’s future would take place once safety was mathematically secured, as his continuation as coach seems uncertain. Vanoli reiterated his initial goal: “I said when I arrived that avoiding relegation was going to be our Scudetto, we are nearly there and just need that final push to close the situation completely.”
When asked if he would consider it unfair if he were replaced despite the significant improvement, Vanoli was philosophical. “Absolutely not! A club has to make its evaluations, and when I arrived everyone was frightened by the prospect of relegation, it really was a catastrophe. We had four points and nobody had managed to avoid the drop with zero victories in the first 11 rounds.
“The job is not done, then the club and I too will evaluate for the future. As I’ve always said, I would be happy to continue the process,” concluded the coach.