Paolo Vanoli held his pre-match press convention forward of Thursday’s Europa Convention League quarter-final first leg at Selhurst Park, and the Fiorentina head coach was candid on a number of fronts, confirming Moise Kean’s health setback, acknowledging Crystal Palace’s standing as favourites, and expressing his pleasure on the scale of the event regardless of a prolonged harm record.
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Kean has been nursing a long-standing shin downside, and Vanoli confirmed the striker was unable to coach on Wednesday after reporting ache within the affected space.
“Moise has been carrying this shin problem for a really very long time,” he stated, with .
“After yesterday’s coaching he felt ache and in the present day he was not in a position to make it.”
VERONA, ITALY – APRIL 04: Moise Kean of Fiorentina in motion through the Serie A match between Hellas Verona FC and ACF Fiorentina at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on April 04, 2026 in Verona, Italy. (Picture by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Getty Photographs)
The information is a blow for a Fiorentina aspect already managing a number of absences forward of what Vanoli himself described as one of the demanding spells of the season.
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On the harm state of affairs extra broadly, Vanoli pushed again towards any narrative of disaster.
“I’d have appreciated to reach right here with a full squad as a result of towards opponents like this I want everybody,” he stated. “However the phrase ’emergency’ just isn’t in my DNA. It should be a chance for individuals who have performed much less and for the youthful gamers. If we play as a workforce we’ll obtain nice outcomes.”
Vanoli has completed his homework on Crystal Palace and their supervisor Oliver Glasner, whom he has adopted carefully for a while. “Glasner has already confirmed himself in Europe, his workforce is organised and you may see his footballing concepts hint again to his days at Salzburg,” he stated.
“Now he’s managing within the Premier League, the strongest league on the planet. I skilled it personally with Chelsea. This should be a supply of pleasure for us after the entire season we now have had.”
CREMONA, ITALY – MARCH 16: Coach Paolo Vanoli of ACF Fiorentina reacts through the Serie A match between US Cremonese and ACF Fiorentina at Stadio Giovanni Zini on March 16, 2026 in Cremona, Italy. (Picture by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Photographs)
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Crystal Palace vs Fiorentina – Vanoli: ‘They’re favourites, we should play with character’
He was equally respectful of the venue itself, describing Selhurst Park as an intimate, atmospheric floor the place Palace have constructed their successes, with 25,000 supporters packed tightly across the pitch.
Requested instantly whether or not he considers Palace favourites, Vanoli didn’t hesitate.
“Sure, I feel so, they’re coming off an FA Cup victory.” However he was equally clear that Fiorentina belong on the identical stage. “We should play with character and lucidity. It’s a lovely check and we’ll measure our progress as a workforce.”
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He additionally provided an encouraging replace on Albert Gudmundsson, noting the Icelandic ahead’s rising defensive self-discipline and aggressive response to his personal errors at Verona.
“These reactions are small however necessary particulars,” Vanoli stated. “We’re all rising.”
With the second leg to observe in Florence, Vanoli’s message was clear, the tie is way from over earlier than it has even begun, and Fiorentina intend to make their mark on the European stage.