Vincenzo Italiano congratulates Spezia for their 0-0 draw against Torino, achieved after down to 10 men for 82 minutes. ‘We’ve got the right spirit.’
Considering the circumstances, this point is worth its weight in gold, as Spezia were already decimated by injuries and bans going into the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, then Luca Vignali was sent off at the eighth minute.
Vincenzo Italiano congratulates Spezia for their 0-0 draw against Torino, achieved after down to 10 men for 82 minutes. ‘We’ve got the right spirit.’
Considering the circumstances, this point is worth its weight in gold, as Spezia were already decimated by injuries and bans going into the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, then Luca Vignali was sent off at the eighth minute.
Despite all of that, they had the best scoring opportunities throughout the game, running a risk only in stoppages when Cristian Ansaldi hit the upright.
“I am convinced that going down to 10 men at this level makes it very difficult, but if my team manages to keep a clean sheet and create more scoring opportunities anyway, that means we’ve got the right spirit and unity,” Italiano told Sky Sport Italia.
“It’s a world away from the team we were a few months ago, when we struggled under pressure and conceded far too easily. I can only congratulate my lads.
“We had that double chance in the first half, then after the break if we’d been a bit more convinced, we could’ve scored on three separate occasions.
“I am glad for this period of form, as we had been going through a negative streak before this run. Maintaining our Serie A status is our objective this season.”
This is becoming a habit, as the newly-promoted side earned a 2-1 win away to Napoli when down to 10 men earlier this month.
What will Italiano say to Vignali after getting himself sent off at the eighth minute?
“If you lose 5-0, then you get angry and let loose at him. If it ends 0-0, the coach will be a little calmer… He cannot go into a tackle like that, especially knowing he can leave his teammates struggling. These things can happen once, but they must not happen again.
“Vignali apologised to the whole team in the dressing room and they gave him a round of applause. It gives you goosebumps, because tactics are all well and good, but there’s an alchemy in a team you can’t create.
“The red card means we were forced to sacrifice ourselves more to cover the gaps, so when the players do that the way they did this evening and bring home the result, that’s hugely satisfying for a coach.”