Fiorentina coach Paulo Sousa is confident of his side’s ability ahead of their Europa League clash at home to FC Basel on Thursday evening, though he refuses to underestimate his opponents.
The Portuguese coach will welcome back the team which he took to the Swiss Super League title last year, and despite slight fears regarding knowledge of his tactics, Sousa is delighted to entertain his former club.
“I’m very happy to see Basel again, they’re a great group with whom I spent a beautiful year,” Sousa said in his pre-match press conference.
“They have great experience in Europe, and are propelled by the possibility of playing the final at home, in addition to the new players they have brought in.
“There is also the fact they have a small advantage as some of the squad know me well.
“However, I’d say we have a bigger advantage in playing at home. We must also concentrate on what I said about Basel, we have to show our quality in attack, and we have to respect the dynamics required in this game.”
The Viola coach then hinted at who he may field for the game, with Giuseppe Rossi in contention to continue his comeback from injury.
“There is a chance [Giuseppe] Rossi can play from the start, just as everyone else has a chance,” he said.
“Jakub Blaszczykowski is also ready to play. We want to introduce him more and more in to games in order to maintain continuity and reduce the chance of an accident.
“Mario Suarez is also a smart player who can improve the team.
Concluding, Sousa spoke of his desire to win, and how he views the support as an important factor in doing so.
“The goal for me is to try to win every game. I always work to win, and not to make calculations. We know that sometimes we will find stronger opponents or ones that surprise us, but our goal is to always win.
“I hope that we can give the fans a good game.
“They are the main element in achieving something. We believe in them and we have to work day after day to let them know this.”
