The Azzurri coach speaks in his press conference on the eve of the match in Florence
“In Florence we'll be in for a tricky match against a very competitive side,” explained Antonio Conte in his press conference ahead of the game against Fiorentina at the Stadio Franchi on Saturday. “For us this marks the start of a crucial run and a step up this season.
“From tomorrow we begin playing every three days and it'll be a very demanding cycle. Naturally, it'll take patience and understanding, especially as we integrate the players who have arrived this year.
“There'll be opportunities for everyone. We have a deeper squad now and it’s my responsibility to get the most out of it. This is a season of great expectations, not least because we are wearing the Scudetto crest on our chest, and we must work hard to distribute energy wisely across the group.
“I repeat that this’ll be the most complex year. My experience tells me that. We need time because we’re in the second phase of the project and it’s inevitable that, as champions of Italy, there will be greater pressure and scrutiny from our rivals.”
Rrahmani’s injury:
“Amir has been a cornerstone of this team, but we know the risk of injuries is always high. We prepared for this possibility and have both [Sam] Beukema and [Luca] Marianucci who can help us now and also become key players in the future.”
Buongiorno’s fitness:
“We know very well that Alessandro is coming back from an operation. He came on late against Cagliari, has worked hard over the past two weeks and now looks ready for action.”
Elmas and Hojlund:
“They are two important, quality players. They’ve spent little time with us so far because of international duty. With time, they’ll grow with the group, but I believe they can already make a useful contribution.”
The challenge in Florence:
“We’re talking about a side that has maintained excellent standards in Italian football for years and has reached two European finals. They’ve also had a very good transfer window. I regard Fiorentina as one of the opponents capable of causing problems in the battle at the top.”
