Juric’s pre-Fiorentina press conference

Read what the boss had to say…

How are the lads doing physically? How are Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini? They’ve scored one goal between them.

“They are doing well. Pellegrini has been particularly unlucky having hit the woodwork multiple times. He’s had a lot of chances, but he hasn’t had his breakthrough yet. However, they’re both doing very well. They get into different attacking positions and they’re in excellent condition. Obviously games depend on scoring goals and we’re hoping we can improve and score more.

“With regard to other individuals, [Gianluca] Mancini trained yesterday. We’ll see about [Matias] Soule today. He had a fever too. We’ll see if he’s better.”

Raffaele Palladino was your team-mate, then you were his coach. You know him very well. Fiorentina have scored 10 goals in their last two matches. What are the biggest threats this team pose?

“They’ve got a team of 20 excellent players. Some have been there for a long time and others have been brought in. They’ve been heading in the right direction over their last few matches. They’re doing well. They’re organised and talented. They’re a top-quality team.”

Going back to the question surrounding goals, how can you improve in this respect? What needs to change to get you scoring more?

“When a team has this much possession, we’re top of the table when it comes to shots on goal. We’ve hit the woodwork multiple times. There have been a lot of clear chances, the other night too. We have the technique and the ability to execute. We need to believe in ourselves a bit more. It’s not just one thing. We’ll keep working and ensure that we get there. Let’s hope that everyone has a bit of a breakthrough.”

Could this be a decisive match for you? Are you expecting a major response in terms of that winning mentality?

“The lads have been going in the right direction in many aspects. Even the other night I saw some positive elements. To win matches, we need to be ruthless in front of goal, score more goals, and always pay attention. I think every game is very important because we’re behind. It’s a head-to-head so it means a lot. We want to take the right path and get a big win.”

You see Evan Ndicka in the centre of a three-man defence. What does he have that Mats Hummels doesn't? Is there a specific technical reason? Saud Abdulhamid has played but not Hummels, a Champions League finalist. Ok, he joined late, but is there a reason?

“I don't think so. I explained last time and it's very simple. I go to training, I see who looks best and I base my decisions on what I see. Age and past achievements aren't things you look at as a coach. I look at who gives me the most confidence. If you ask me about [Mario] Hermoso, it's the same thing, and he used to play for Atletico Madrid...”

But Hummels has never played. And you explained that he could only play instead of Ndicka in the centre.

“I think Ndicka's future is in that position. He has all the qualities he needs to become a top player in that position, with his aggression and physicality, and tomorrow he'll face a very difficult test against Kean. It's a football decision. It's normal for a coach to prefer certain qualities to others.”

When will Alexis Saelemaekers and Stephan El Shaarawy be available again? And how is Nicola Zalewski at the moment?

“I don't want to rush anything with Saelemaekers but it's possible that he could start training with us again after this current run of games. Stephan is working away: not this game but maybe the next one.

“Zalewski deserves huge credit for his performance against Dynamo Kyiv on the right. Mentally he was perfect, always switched on and alert. We were a little worried but we saw the way we responded to the situation he finds himself in, and I'm sorry because he's a great lad. He played really well.

“I'm happy for him. He showed how strong he is mentally. He's not a kid. What he does – going past opponents and creating a numerical advantage, especially in very tight matches – is a big help for the team. He has those skills. Then we have El Shaarawy and Saelemaekers, whereas the others have different qualities.”

How is the team looking after your first month? Do you think this squad is able to finish in the top four?

“There were lots of things I was worried about but we've done much better than I thought. We need to rebuild a bit of confidence. We need to be winning more games, like the ones against Monza and Elfsborg. My job is to improve players and get them performing at their best. If we can do that, then the team will improve too. We have a squad with different players who can improve physically and technically. We have this target and we have to do everything we can to achieve it.”