Palladino: "It's a shame, now we have three finals in the championship. I expected more from the changes"

The Fiorentina coach's analysis after the draw against Betis that cost them elimination from the Conference League

di ALESSANDRO LATINI
8 May 2025
Raffaele Palladino after the defeat against Betis Sevilla

Raffaele Palladino after the defeat against Betis Sevilla

Florence, 9 May 2025 - Fiorentina's Conference dream ends, after two finals they stop in the semi-final. The Betis Seville, strong of the 2-1 of the first leg. The draw snatched during extra time was enough for the Andalusians. The wonderful brace by Gosens was not enough, good in the space of a short while to fool the Spaniards on two corner kicks. Fiorentina will now try to catch up with Europe through the last three games in the championship.

This is the mister's analysis Palladino. "It's disappointing, because we had prepared the match well. They have many champions who unlocked it as they should. In the second half we could have even gone 3-1 up, but we didn't manage it. In extra time we conceded a goal that we could have managed better, but I can't ask for more from the lads. We fought until the end against a strong team. It's disappointing, but I'm proud of my lads. We have to accept the verdict, they have champions. The first goal was also a masterful free kick. We could have thought a little more negatively about the second goal, we didn't take care of a detail that we had also seen on video. However, the lads gave everything they had".

How do you manage the moment now?

"It's a wound, I have to be good at managing the group in difficulty. I'm sure they'll be able to react immediately, there's the championship in progress. There are still many direct clashes for Europe. We have to be good at erasing this disappointment immediately."

On the goal conceded during extra time…

“Unfortunately in football there are many individual duels, defenders always have to think in a negative way. Pongracic had that second of delay that unfortunately cost us dearly. We never gave free balls, trying to take possession of the ball away from him. We had to be careful with these transitions. In football it can happen, the boys gave it their all”.

Fagioli left the field angrily when he was substituted.

"Nicolò played 87 minutes, I replaced him to give the team some freshness. I think everyone from the bench can give something. I'm sorry he's disappointed, but there are teammates on the bench who can play. He was also cautioned, but, despite the pace being slower, I preferred to put Folorunsho in the midfield, to have more physicality".

How is Kean?

"It seems that on the last sprint he felt something. We'll see tomorrow with the medical staff. The substitutions? It wasn't easy to come on, but I expected more from someone. Not from Richardson who came on very well, Adli was in difficulty in the first half and I had to change him".

Alessandro Latini

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