Paladino’s Criticism After Fiorentina’s Loss to Panathinaikos: ‘Opponents Kept Falling’

Despite a 3-2 loss to Panathinaikos in the first leg of the Conference League’s round of 16, Fiorentina coach Raffaele Paladino had sharp words for his players. In post-match interviews, Paladino criticized the team’s performance in the second half, stating that errors in approach led to their downfall after an initially strong start. “We made mistakes in our strategy, found ourselves trailing by two goals, which wasn’t the plan,” Paladino remarked. While acknowledging the difficulty of the match, he expressed disappointment over the lack of reaction and aggression from his side in the latter stages. He also addressed concerns about physical condition, though he insisted it wasn’t the primary issue, pointing instead to continuous interruptions caused by opponents’ falls. Despite these setbacks, Paladino remains optimistic about the return leg, emphasizing the team’s ability and determination to turn things around.