Vincenzo Italiano admits ‘it is not the first time’ Fiorentina fumbled points in the final minutes after the defeat to Milan and confirms Nico Gonzalez ‘may as well be injured’ because his mind is on the World Cup.
The Viola were furious in stoppages when the Nikola Milenkovic own goal was given, as they claimed Alfred Duncan was fouled in the build-up and that Ante Rebic was impeding Pietro Terracciano on the Aster Vranckx cross.
There were several contentious moments, including a Fikayo Tomori last-gasp tackle on Ikone in the penalty area, goal-line clearances at both ends, while Antonin Barak cancelled out the Rafael Leao opener.
“The first half was more ordered, in the second it opened up with chances at both ends. Perhaps we had the clearest opportunities, but yet again we drop points in the final minutes,” Italiano told DAZN.
“It’s not the first time, between our own mistakes and dubious situations, we fail to take home a result from a game where we deserved better and that is disappointing.”
Fiorentina had the ball for more than the hosts at San Siro, but always looked vulnerable to Milan’s pace.
“We came here first of all to keep the ball and avoid just giving it to Milan, but after the break we made a few mistakes, misplaced some passes and didn’t take the chances to go in front. We need to mature, because as I said this is not the first time.
“I didn’t like that we got stretched out, but we were against the Champions of Italy, so knew that we’d have to run a few risks. The trouble is that when Milan run risks too, we have to punish them and we didn’t.”
Fiorentina had won five in a row between Serie A and the Conference League since moving to a 4-2-3-1 formation rather than 4-3-3.
“I am asking the centre-forward to drop back to get the ball and the other strikers to push forward more. We are now creating lots of chances, because everyone surges forward, we get bodies into the box, so there has been an improvement in that sense.
“We’ll have the next few months to refine various details, but we are already a different team from the start of the season in terms of desire and determination.”
Director Joe Barone said before kick-off that some players are physically at Fiorentina, but mentally at the World Cup in Qatar. Was he referring to Argentina international Nico Gonzalez?
“When a player is not available, it’s not just physical. If someone is not at 100 per cent mentally and doesn’t feel ready to give his all for the club, then he may as well be injured.”