Sporting director Daniele Prade reacted to the 0-0 stalemate at home to Parma on Sunday afternoon.

“It was a tough match. They played very well and their coach prepared them well. We came from a very hard away trip, arriving at 5am on Friday. There’s also the fact that after all these games, some fatigue starts to set in, especially after playing 14 or 15 more matches than other teams. We had several chances to break the deadlock, but if you don’t manage to score, it becomes a completely different game.

“However, let’s take the positives: we didn’t concede any goals today and we continue our unbeaten streak. We know we need to focus on important matches ahead and prepare as well as possible. Thursday is another crucial match in a do-or-die situation.”

Team performance and mentality

“I told the players that they played well in terms of commitment and effort. Yes, the team was disappointed by not winning, but that’s where we need to work on the mental side of things and personal growth. Football is always about facing up to teams and in Serie A there’s always a strong opponent in front of you. Sometimes, you might lose, but we must take the point and move on. Everything is still to play for. We need to keep fighting, striving to win as many games as possible. Every match is important and we need to focus on winning.”

Focus on Thursday’s Conference League match

“We’re already thinking about Thursday, which will be a very tough challenge. We’ve already seen their strength on the road. We’ll need to play good football, stay sharp, stay focused and give our best to achieve a positive result.”