Andrea Mandorlini enthused at Verona’s draw with Juventus” data-scaytid=”2″>Juventus, but considers that survival remains the club’s key objective.
Andrea Mandorlini enthused at Verona’s draw with Juventus, but considers that survival remains the club’s key objective.
The Gialloblu have enjoyed a so-far successful return to Serie A and, in recording a 2-2 draw at home to League leaders Juventus on Sunday, find themselves sixth in the table.
“Are we aiming for Europe? We continue to point to survival,” Coach Mandorlini, however, has considered on Radio Anch’Io Sport today.
“Then we will see if we have the strength to go further.
“Is this Verona similar to that [which won the title] in 1984-85? I do not know, the situations are a little different and that team has remained legendary even after so many years and I would not like to make risky comparisons.
“We have players who have been with me since Serie C and who, with this stadium and this environment, have contributed something incredible.
“The future? I am very happy here, but it is not the time to talk about these things now.”
Both clubs benefited in yesterday’s 2-2 draw from missed offside calls to score goals, but Hellas also saw two handball claims in the Juve penalty area turned away. Mandorlini had commented yesterday on the game also.
“We were unlucky in some episodes. There were errors on either side, but the end result counts and we do not think about anything else.
“To me, Vidal’s touch looked an instinctive gesture, but I thought the touch from Lichtsteiner was clear. Yet, seeing the images at the end, Vidal’s touch looks to be clearer.”
Mandorlini also fronted up to Lichtsteiner at half-time after a clash on the sidelines when the Swiss appeared to ignore the Coach handing him the ball back for a throw-in during the first half.
“It was a personal thing, but it is already over with and not worth going back on.
“We managed together a successful game for another Sunday. Here we faced the best team in the League, who have put great pressure on us from the first minute, and for the first half we were not there.
“At the break we looked at each other and compacted in the second half. In the end we were rewarded with a major achievement.
“Against Napoli and Roma, we were unable to play our usual game, particularly at home, but here we did and we brought home a good result.
“We had to think about Pirlo in certain situations and in the second half we did so by playing shorter and aggressively.”