Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Italiano admits this Conference League Final defeat to Olympiacos hurts even more than last year. ‘We really believed this time. It hurts.’
The Tuscans hoped to use the experience of last season, when they lost both the Conference League Final to West Ham United and the Coppa Italia Final to Inter, in order to gain redemption in Athens.
However, they were beaten for the second consecutive campaign with the trophy standing by the side of the pitch and it might now start to become a psychological weight on their shoulders.
Olympiacos forced them to extra time and with four minutes left on the clock before a penalty shoot-out, tournament top scorer Ayoub El Kaabi got in front of Luca Ranieri to nod in Santiago Hezze’s cross.
“It’s disappointing for the second time. It’s disappointing because again we had many situations to score goals, but the lads did everything they could. We fought, we sweat buckets, we created chances against a team that does not allow you to play good football, as the goalkeeper always kicks it long and by-passes the midfield,” Italiano told Sky Sport Italia.
“I don’t think we deserved to lose this game, which could’ve gone all the way to penalties. It is a huge disappointment for me, because the third Final we played the right way, but we still don’t have the maturity, the smarts, that little extra to win in a one-off match.
“I am sorry for the lads, but this is football. We have to accept these defeats. I know these players, they were all ready, fired up and concentrated. These games depend on who you are up against, but everyone who stepped onto the pitch gave all they could.
“It was not what we all hoped for, but we had many situations to celebrate before they did. Things just go wrong in Finals for us, they don’t go our way.”
Fiorentina had extra motivation to win this evening, as they so wanted to dedicate silverware to director Joe Barone, who died of a heart attack in March.
They also could’ve handed a Conference League qualification spot to Torino, who now will instead miss out on European competition.
“I told Ceferin too, a second consecutive defeat with goals in the final minutes, that hurts,” continued Italiano.
End of the Fiorentina era for Italiano?
Italiano is widely expected to leave the Stadio Artemio Franchi this summer, a decision he had made even before Barone’s death.
While he failed to win a trophy, he did take Fiorentina to three Finals in two seasons, a remarkable achievement considering the budget at his disposal.
“Losing hurts, going all the way for two years running is something good, but naturally you have to lift a trophy and we didn’t manage it. This too is part of the process. The journey feels ruined when you have to watch the others lift the silverware.
“It hurts to see the lads cry. We really believed this time we could have a different epilogue to this campaign.”
Has Italiano made a decision about his future yet?
“At this moment, I too feel too bitter, disappointed, let down, because I too really believed we could have a different ending. There is one more game on Sunday in Bergamo to close the season, then I will meet with the President.”
Lega serie a need to intervene and give Fiorentina‘s european place for next season to another team. West Ham last season and now they’ve given Greece their first european club silverware. enough of this shame.