Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli said the stats from Benevento were ‘embarrassing’ and aims to bounce back in the Coppa Italia against Udinese.
It was not the best of starts for Prandelli, who said his players must be ‘ready to fight’ and prepare to change their mentality in order to turn their season around.
“In 2006-07 we had great support from the fans, we would never have done it alone,” Prandelli said at a press conference.
Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli said the stats from Benevento were ‘embarrassing’ and aims to bounce back in the Coppa Italia against Udinese.
It was not the best of starts for Prandelli, who said his players must be ‘ready to fight’ and prepare to change their mentality in order to turn their season around.
“In 2006-07 we had great support from the fans, we would never have done it alone,” Prandelli said at a press conference.
“Now, things are different, I will choose the players who aren’t afraid, but ready to fight. It will also depend on their physical conditions.
“But you need the mentality and desire to always be a team. Against Benevento, the numbers were embarrassing. They overwhelmed us in all the figures, we must do much more on a physical level.”
Prandelli said a change in mentality can help the attackers excel for the Viola.
“We must change the team’s mentality quickly. [Dusan] Vlahovic ran with good intensity, but the manoeuvre must help the attackers get more opportunities.
“We are lacking this. Tomorrow, we will take advantage of the opportunity we have, putting in place a proactive and combative mentality.”
Fiorentina sit 15th after eight Serie A games and have a packed programme with seven games to go before Christmas, but Prandelli aims to add further fixtures in the Coppa Italia to an already dense fixture list.
“We have to think about one game at a time and we have to advance,” he said. “For us, it’s important, just as a performance is important.
“As a collective mentality we have to play a real match, with the players who are better off.”
Prandelli believes it’s good to play again straight away after the 1-0 setback against Benevento and said his team ‘must not hide’ when they travel to the Dacia Arena.
“Paradoxically it’s much better to play right away, because we can test ourselves. I want to see if the lads got the message and I want to face their fear.
“We must not hide; we must take to the pitch and tomorrow’s game can help us. In a moment of difficulty, the men come out, then the players.
“If I have real men, who feel what they are doing, we will never play like this again.
“If we had five or six of [German] Pezzella, we would be fighting for the Champions League already. At this moment, you can only dream of spectacular football, that’s not our priority.”
He also confirmed he will be without Franck Ribery, Giacomo Bonaventura and Jose Callejon for tomorrow’s match but hopes to have them back in time for Milan.