Giuseppe Sannino prepares to face Roma and concedes he “did not expect Palermo to be so far down the table” when he returned.
The Coach was sacked in Week 3, but brought back after a series of dismal runs under Gian Piero Gasperini, Alberto Malesani and then Gasp again.
Giuseppe Sannino prepares to face Roma and concedes he “did not expect Palermo to be so far down the table” when he returned.
The Coach was sacked in Week 3, but brought back after a series of dismal runs under Gian Piero Gasperini, Alberto Malesani and then Gasp again.
This afternoon the bottom of the table Sicilians welcome high-flying Roma to the Stadio Barbera at 14.00 GMT. Click here for a match preview.
“We all have to look inside of ourselves and try to find that pride and determination to prove ourselves, even when we are clearly inferior to Roma,” said Sannino.
“In motivational terms, until it becomes mathematically impossible to survive, we have got to be perfect. This is an important crossroads. We’ve worked hard on the psychological aspect of our performance.
“In a situation like this what’s important is hunger, the mind and also character. Whoever steps on to the field will have no alibis.
“I really did not expect Palermo to be so far down the table. I had hoped to give a bigger contribution to an extraordinary city that deserves to be in Serie A.”
Fabrizio Miccoli, Edgar Barreto and Andrea Dossena return to the squad after injury lay-offs, so only Abel Hernandez and Andrea Mantovani are still absent.
Sannino also paid tribute to Roma hero Francesco Totti, who this week celebrated the 20th anniversary of his Serie A debut.
“He has to be complimented for 20 years in Serie A. Totti is not just a great player, but also a great man. It’ll be difficult to stop him and we need absolute concentration.”
Palermo squad for Roma: Benussi, Brichetto, Sorrentino; Aronica, Dossena, Garcia, Morganella, Munoz, Nelson, Von Bergen; Arevalo Rios, Barreto, Donati, Faurlin, Formica, Ilicic, Kurtic, Sanseverino, Viola; Boselli, Dybala, Fabbrini, Malele, Miccoli.