Giampaolo: “An important point in Verona”

“It’s an important point, even though a win would have been a crucial step for us.” Blucerchiati coach Marco Giampaolo rued a missed opportunity as his side return from Verona with one point instead of three. Sampdoria took the lead through Francesco Caputo, but the home team managed to draw level with just over ten minutes left to play, and the game ended in a 1-1 draw.

“I’ve known what kind of game this would be for us for a couple of weeks now. Verona are a strong side, playing with quality, ease and organisation. They make it hard for you and create lots of chances. Today, however, we didn’t manage to create as much as we normally do. We had good balance in our play and were organised. Each player did as they were asked. It’s a shame though.

“We were dominating play when they got their goal. I had to take off two defenders and their replacements found it more difficult.” The coach went on to describe the atmosphere after the match, regarding the strong feelings shared as a positive sign. “The games are really important now. We are always on edge and that can make us tense: there’s going to be some anger and resentment at the end of the game. It means that we are alive.”