Coach Kosta Runjaic held a press conference ahead of Monday’s match against Fiorentina. Here is what he had to say.
Keinan Davis
“It’s a good thing that he’s training with the rest of the group again. He didn’t have any physical problems throughout the week and he’s eager to play again. We know what he has to offer and having multiple options up front is an advantage, of course. Keinan [Davis] has become one of our leaders; he’s an important player with unique qualities in the squad. I’m happy he’s back. I don’t know whether he’ll be in the starting line-up tomorrow. We’ve tried out various options, both with and without him. Hopefully he’ll always be available for the rest of the season. I’m sure he’ll make a major contribution.”
“It’s a good thing that he’s training with the rest of the group again. He didn’t have any physical problems throughout the week and he’s eager to play again. We know what he has to offer and having multiple options up front is an advantage, of course. Keinan [Davis] has become one of our leaders; he’s an important player with unique qualities in the squad. I’m happy he’s back. I don’t know whether he’ll be in the starting line-up tomorrow. We’ve tried out various options, both with and without him. Hopefully he’ll always be available for the rest of the season. I’m sure he’ll make a major contribution.”
The physical difference between Italian and European clubs
“Intensity and energy are the foundations of football, but you also have to take into account the players you have in your squad. In terms of intensity, our performances have been good so far and we’re working well on it. There isn’t that much of a difference between Italian and foreign teams; just look at Atalanta against Borussia Dortmund or Inter against Bodo/Glimt. Inter handled the game well but failed to convert. However, last year Inter made it all the way to the Champions League final; Atalanta recently won the Europa League and Roma won the Conference League. So Italian clubs can do well in Europe. However, Europe is a totally different story and it’s hard to compare clubs from different leagues. There are players who come to Serie A from other leagues and struggle to adapt, as it’s a difficult league and every game is a challenge. Then it’s also a matter of budget, where the Champions League’s top clubs have a very large one, and the same applies to Italy, with Inter being in first place in that respect.”
“Intensity and energy are the foundations of football, but you also have to take into account the players you have in your squad. In terms of intensity, our performances have been good so far and we’re working well on it. There isn’t that much of a difference between Italian and foreign teams; just look at Atalanta against Borussia Dortmund or Inter against Bodo/Glimt. Inter handled the game well but failed to convert. However, last year Inter made it all the way to the Champions League final; Atalanta recently won the Europa League and Roma won the Conference League. So Italian clubs can do well in Europe. However, Europe is a totally different story and it’s hard to compare clubs from different leagues. There are players who come to Serie A from other leagues and struggle to adapt, as it’s a difficult league and every game is a challenge. Then it’s also a matter of budget, where the Champions League’s top clubs have a very large one, and the same applies to Italy, with Inter being in first place in that respect.”
Hassane Kamara
“Davis is going to be called up and so will Kamara. Having him back is a massive boost for us. He has a lot of experience and is respected by his team-mates. I’m happy he’s back. If everything goes well, we’ll have everyone available, except for the players who are already injured.”
“Davis is going to be called up and so will Kamara. Having him back is a massive boost for us. He has a lot of experience and is respected by his team-mates. I’m happy he’s back. If everything goes well, we’ll have everyone available, except for the players who are already injured.”
Tomorrow’s match
“It’s a delicate match as the stakes are high both for us and for them. They have bounced back since the reverse fixture. They aren’t out of the woods yet, but they’re climbing the table. We’ve lost three consecutive games, but the season is still long. We’ve worked well to try to get those three points tomorrow. I don’t like looking at what other teams do; I’d rather focus on what I can have an impact on.”
“It’s a delicate match as the stakes are high both for us and for them. They have bounced back since the reverse fixture. They aren’t out of the woods yet, but they’re climbing the table. We’ve lost three consecutive games, but the season is still long. We’ve worked well to try to get those three points tomorrow. I don’t like looking at what other teams do; I’d rather focus on what I can have an impact on.”
Arthur Atta
“My view on Atta will depend on what the expectations on him are. It’s his first season ever as a regular player. He joined Udinese last year, settled in, improved and learned a lot. This year he did what we expected from him. He’s shown that he can do well and has good qualities. We’ll have to see if these qualities can be translated into our matches consistently. We see what he does in training, but matches are a different story. So far he’s had a good season. He could’ve scored a few more goals perhaps, but we’re working on that too. We mustn’t pressure him and bear in mind where he started from. He’s already clocked up more minutes this season than the entire last season. We’re working to help him improve. Our goal is for him to score, perform well and be decisive.”
“My view on Atta will depend on what the expectations on him are. It’s his first season ever as a regular player. He joined Udinese last year, settled in, improved and learned a lot. This year he did what we expected from him. He’s shown that he can do well and has good qualities. We’ll have to see if these qualities can be translated into our matches consistently. We see what he does in training, but matches are a different story. So far he’s had a good season. He could’ve scored a few more goals perhaps, but we’re working on that too. We mustn’t pressure him and bear in mind where he started from. He’s already clocked up more minutes this season than the entire last season. We’re working to help him improve. Our goal is for him to score, perform well and be decisive.”