Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli said he wants 'more of the same energy’ against Hellas Verona and stressed he’s 'not ashamed’ of defending.

The match at the Artemio Franchi kicks off at 14.00 UK time, check out the preview.

The Viola picked up a point against high-flying Sassuolo on Wednesday, when Dusan Vlahovic’s penalty helped Prandelli’s men to a 1-1 draw with the Neroverdi.

Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli said he wants 'more of the same energy’ against Hellas Verona and stressed he’s 'not ashamed’ of defending.

The match at the Artemio Franchi kicks off at 14.00 UK time, check out the preview.

The Viola picked up a point against high-flying Sassuolo on Wednesday, when Dusan Vlahovic’s penalty helped Prandelli’s men to a 1-1 draw with the Neroverdi.

“We have to give continuity to Wednesday’s test,” Prandelli said at a press conference. “We played a good match against Sassuolo, against a formidable team.

“The attitude of the other night was that of a team that don’t want to lose. We must certainly continue like this.”

Prandelli said he wanted to ‘empower’ his team with a good defensive performance and hopes to see more of the same ‘energy’ against 00 tomorrow.

“Reviewing the training sessions and the match we played with four defenders, there were some uncertainties,” he said.

“I wanted to remove all alibis from the team, and I wanted to empower them. I’m always convinced that the defensive phase must be done the best way.

“I’m not ashamed of defending a difficult result or game. Often, looking for the good football, many teams have found themselves struggling for salvation.

“We need concentration and I want to see the energy from the other night tomorrow.”

Jose Callejon was left out against Sassuolo and the coach said the former Napoli man wouldn’t play in the 3-5-2 formation.

“He’s a very serious profession, he’s important to us as a player and man,” Prandelli said. “He’s recovering well.

“The problem is never the position, even if I never see him as a fifth in midfield. If he plays, the midfield must be arranged in a different way.

Prandelli hopes Fiorentina can make Franck Ribery into a bigger leader and their ‘point of reference’.

“We have to make him even more of a leader, so that he can give us greater numerical superiority,” Prandelli added. “He doesn’t have to solve problems alone, but he has to be our point of reference.”

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