Bologna is preparing to challenge Monza on the tenth matchday of Serie A, after the surprising victory against Milan at San Siro. Coach Raffaele Palladino asked the players not to lower their guard, reminding them that football has no memory and that the team must immediately look to the next match. "We are happy with the victory against Milan, but we have to look ahead. Tomorrow we will have to suffer and we will have to play a tough match", declared Palladino in the press conference.
The coach also left open the possibility of changes to the starting eleven, based on the physical conditions of the players. "I have doubts about the formation, I think there could be some changes. The difference will be the head: I'm interested in what mental energy we will have when we arrive at the match", he explained. Palladino, who coached Monza in the past, knows the opponent well and expects a difficult match. "It was an important stage in my life, I have indelible memories. Tomorrow, however, our objective will be to score important points for our ranking", he added.
When talking about individual players, Palladino highlighted Artem Dovbyk. "Artem pushed harder during the week. We had a discussion and he tried to put my requests into practice. He's not in condition to last ninety minutes but he's available tomorrow," he said. The coach then reiterated the need to keep the team focused and not to be overwhelmed by the enthusiasm for the victory at San Siro. "We must not feel better than we are. We are experiencing a positive moment that we must ride, but less good moments will come. The secret is just to work and think that every match is as if it were the last", he underlined.
Finally, Palladino wanted to motivate the players, reminding them that if they are determined, they can annoy anyone. “If we are like this, we can annoy everyone,” he concluded, inviting the team to continue working hard and maintain concentration for the match against Monza, scheduled for Saturday 31 October at 3pm at the Dall'Ara.