Coach Paulo Sousa admits Fiorentina “raised expectations” with their stellar start to the season.
The Viola were tipped as potential Scudetto challengers in the first half of the season, but a run of just one win in nine Serie A games has seen them plummet to fifth.
“My first step, my first victory, is the personal and tactical growth of my players,” Sousa explained in his Press conference ahead of the Chievo game.
Coach Paulo Sousa admits Fiorentina “raised expectations” with their stellar start to the season.
The Viola were tipped as potential Scudetto challengers in the first half of the season, but a run of just one win in nine Serie A games has seen them plummet to fifth.
“My first step, my first victory, is the personal and tactical growth of my players,” Sousa explained in his Press conference ahead of the Chievo game.
“The results are a consequence of that. We raised the expectations of where we were able to compete. And we know that there are different factors which affect the season.
“Tomorrow will be another opportunity to grow in terms of getting through difficult times. That goes for me, my staff and all the players.
“We have a chance to prove that we’ve matured, I’m not a fearful person or Coach. We’ve shown with these lads that we can go beyond our limits.
“We need to use these remaining games to improve our mentality, even when you’re not winning you can create a winning mentality.
“In every game you have to do everything you can to try to win.”
Sousa’s teams are known for their attacking, possession-based style, but have Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid shown that’s not the way forward?
“There are several ways to win. Playing a purposeful and attractive style also comes down to the players you have. You can have attacking transitions but also a defensive mentality.
“Simeone has introduced a defensive style of football, based more on sitting-in with a very modern formula, but which at its base is not that innovative.”