At the end of the match between Hellas Verona and Venezia FC, valid for the Round of 32 of the Coppa Italia Frecciarossa, which ended 4-5 in favor of the Arancioneroverdi after penalties, coach Giovanni Stroppa and midfielder Nunzio Lella shared their thoughts on the game.

Giovanni Stroppa, Venezia FC head coach
“Today we were balanced; we didn’t give away any free chances to our opponents. We controlled the game and even came close to scoring on a couple of occasions. Then, in the penalty shootout, we scored five out of five, which is remarkable, and one save from Plizzari was enough to secure qualification. I dedicate this victory to our fans; there were so many of them tonight, and derbies are won also thanks to their constant support. The team always trains well, so it was easy to give confidence to those who had played fewer minutes until today. It was also important to come through such an intense match without injuries. We need to be less timid on set pieces and in one-on-one situations, but despite that, we’re bringing home an important result that boosts morale ahead of the upcoming league fixtures.”

Nunzio Lella, Venezia FC midfielder
“From the spot I felt quite calm; the coach asked me if I wanted to take the fifth penalty, and I immediately accepted. During the week we practiced penalty kicks, and today it went very well from twelve yards. In the ninety minutes we had a big chance with Sagrado, and overall we are satisfied with our performance. During training we work a lot to dominate play and maintain possession, and today we put into practice what we rehearse every day on the training ground. Today, players who had played less got their chance, and everyone showed they are ready to fight for the shirt. We are a great group, and each of us can make an impact this season. Victories like this lift the dressing room’s morale; from tonight we carry with us the enthusiasm of progressing to the next round, while already focusing on the next league fixture.”