Serie B Tim - 09 Feb 2007 - 3:02 PM
Deschamps: “Batteries recharged”
“After the events of last weekend it was always going to be impossible (for the authorities) to find an ideal solution. We’ll adapt accordingly but it’s going to be very strange playing in empty stadiums. It’s not really a spectacle without the public there but we have to accept the measures put in place”. Didier Deschamps started this afternoon’s press conference with a word on the footballing authorities’ decision to resume championship activities tomorrow. The Bianconeri travel to Vicenza’s Menti stadium for their first outing in exactly a fortnight. “Our last game was against Spezia and we weren’t at our best there. It’s never easy playing away from home but we can’t just alternate between a home win and a point on our travels. It’s not that we’re lacking hunger, it’s more a case of what we’re up against. As I’ve said many times, teams play differently against us, they make life very difficult. We’ve been missing that competitive edge and we’ve suffered as a consequence. We need to be at a good physical level for our technical superiority to make the difference”.
The Frenchman picked up on a few reasons for his team’s mid-season drop in energy. “We got off to a great start which included eight consecutive wins, but things got a little more complicated after that because the opposition had more quality. Our winning streak also took its toll physically”. Deschamps won’t be underestimating tomorrow’s opposition. “They’re full of confidence after two wins on the trot. It’s our game to lose and they’ll be going for it. We’re also bound to have lost some of our match rhythm after the break, it’s not something you can practice in training”. The coach will have to wait and see on the conditions of some of his players. “Legrottaglie has been suffering from a little muscle fatigue but he should be fine for tomorrow, Chiellini has only been training with the group since Wednesday and doesn’t have ninety minutes in his legs yet, and Bojinov and Trezeguet are both tired from their mid-week internationals. We’ll see how they get on at this afternoon session”.
After Saturday’s game, Deschamps’ men will be back in action just three days later against Rimini. “We’ll have less time to prepare for the game but it could help us maintain some of our match rhythm and allow some of the other players to get a look in. We based our training schedule around having one game a week, but we’ll adapt to the new calendar without any problems. Having less games in January and February has allowed us to recharge out batteries and work on our physical side; that’s going to be very important as there’s still a long way to go this season”.
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