Gian Piero Gasperini praises his team for the far from obvious victory they claimed on a “complicated” pitch like that of Salernitana. This win was sealed also thanks to their “mind”: “Great credit for the lads”. Here is the full interview.

It was described as an ugly win but you also need these wins.

“Yes, even defeats are ugly sometimes. Then you forget and get over them. It’s true, Salernitana caused problems for us. They played a match like they had never done before. Ribery’s presence maybe gave them a push. They have an extraordinary crowd. Having won this kind of game, even struggling, gives more credit to the lads for how they managed to win.”

You praised the team for their mentality.

“Yes, that’s the best weapon we’ve got right now, more than legs. Legs are sometimes there, sometimes a little less. Someone has them sometimes and then someone else has them. Their mind is never missing. It is great praise for us.”

Coach, the intensity dropped a bit in the match Salernitana’s performance dipped and the winning strike arrived.

“Yes, and it arrived after a good play. We had some other good plays. It’s clear that, as time passed by, our performance was better in the final minutes. But that’s football. These teams fight to stay in the top flight. So, as long as they’ve got energy, it gets difficult for everybody.”

Zappacosta could have finished it off but perhaps he’s not that used to scoring.

“He did well anyway. I played him in attack and thanks to him running hard but also his feet, he was a ‘thorn’. So, it’s okay. He’ll play many positions, on the right, left, upfront, behind. Because he’s a great player.”