Paulo Sousa saw “a very strange game” when Fiorentina lost 3-2 to PAOK, “but we are too unlucky at the moment.”
The Viola fought back from 2-0 down, hitting the woodwork several times, for 2-2 only to concede the decider in stoppages.
They still need just a point from the final match with Qarabag to ensure qualification.
Qarabag lost 3-0 to Slovan Liberec this evening, so the Viola remain top of their group.
Paulo Sousa saw “a very strange game” when Fiorentina lost 3-2 to PAOK, “but we are too unlucky at the moment.”
The Viola fought back from 2-0 down, hitting the woodwork several times, for 2-2 only to concede the decider in stoppages.
They still need just a point from the final match with Qarabag to ensure qualification.
Qarabag lost 3-0 to Slovan Liberec this evening, so the Viola remain top of their group.
“We must be prepared for a difficult match, the next one, as we still need to guarantee our place in the knockouts,” Sousa told Sky Sport Italia.
“We should’ve entered the game tonight with better tempo and intensity, because we knew full well that PAOK were dangerous on the counter-attack.
“It was a very strange game, because there was a penalty on Khouma Babacar that could’ve changed the course of the match.
“We cannot give away a goal like that in the final minute, but at the same time we are too unlucky at the moment. The team believed to the end and we made courageous substitutions because we wanted to win it.”
Sousa caused controversy this week when suggesting Federico Bernardeschi belonged at a “more ambitious” club than Fiorentina.
“Federico must continue the way he’s going, because he can do so much better. I do think that clubs with greater economic power can step forward for him in future.
“In any case, I apologise if anyone felt offended.”