Coppa Italia Frecciarossa 2026/27 | Coach Marco Baroni’s comments ahead of #VeronaEntella

Verona - The comments from Gialloblù coach Marco Baroni, speaking two days ahead of Hellas Verona-Virtus Entella, the Coppa Italia Frecciarossa 2026/27 Round of 64 match scheduled for Sunday, 16 August at 8.45pm, at the Bentegodi stadium.

The season gets underway on Sunday: what are your feelings ahead of the match? "The feelings are always the same at this stage of preparation, when you are working hard with the team. Clearly, my focus, as well as that of the team and my staff, is fully on this match, because now the games that matter begin. We know that, above all, we cannot get our attitude, desire, commitment and approach wrong. I expect to see what we have worked on so far, and I am therefore convinced that we will approach the match with great focus".

You have a special relationship with Tomas Suslov. How is he? Does he want to stay in Verona or is his mind elsewhere? "At the moment, he has a situation that he is assessing. I would prefer him to consider it calmly and then possibly reintegrate him into the group, perhaps even after the transfer window closes. I think that is the right way to manage the situation. He is clearly an important player, we know that very well, but there is this matter that I have been informed about. He will not be called up on Sunday, but only because we are waiting to understand how the situation develops, one way or the other".

Frese will not be called up either. Can you clarify what his problem is? "He had a minor issue, a delicate one, but I think it can be resolved within a month. He is currently undergoing the first phase of physiotherapy before returning to training with the group. We are talking about a recovery period of three or four weeks, so he will not be available on Sunday".

I’d like to ask you about the excitement of a new beginning: even after several years as a coach, is there still that special feeling, perhaps amplified by the Bentegodi, a stadium you know particularly well? "Yesterday we trained at the Bentegodi. For me, it is always a pleasure to come back to this stadium. I have memories here both as a player and as a coach, especially of an extremely difficult season that ultimately ended in an extraordinary way. My focus is on giving this team everything that my staff and I have".

You have been working a lot on the 4-2-3-1. Perhaps, even in the friendlies, the team has not been getting enough reward compared to the type of football you want to play? "That is definitely one of the areas we need to improve: finishing, the final pass and decision-making, but we are working on it. We need to find this identity, that of a team that has a clear idea of how it wants to play. I believe we will face an extremely difficult and complicated league this year, precisely because there are many teams that will look to play proactive football, and we need to be up to that level and develop this mentality. As I have already said, there are steps we still need to take because we have only had 37 training sessions together, today was the 38th, so we do not have much time. We need to accelerate the process, and we will".

If Suslov were to leave, would you expect a player of the same level to come in? "I am used to looking at things objectively. At the moment, I am very satisfied with the availability and dedication my players have shown. It is undeniable that the Sporting Director is facing difficulties in completing the squad, given that the Club is currently focused on outgoing transfers. We know very well that we still need to do something".

Over the last two seasons, Verona have not exactly enjoyed much of a home advantage, despite the Bentegodi being, by definition, your home ground. The statistics are clear: five wins in 40 matches between the league and the Coppa Italia. How important is it to turn things around in front of your own supporters? "We will not be perfect, that is clear, because, as I said before, the squad still needs to be completed with some important players. But I know for certain that on Sunday the team cannot get its attitude wrong. We may not be able to maintain it for all 90 minutes, but we need to send out a strong signal of identity from the very beginning, precisely within these difficulties, because it is through them that you build something important. The team is facing them, together with me and the staff, with great dedication and commitment, and I need to see that in the match as well".

Before leaving for Folgaria, you also stressed the kind of attitude you wanted from your players: you only wanted motivated and fully committed players. Looking at the transfer market as well, how many positive responses have you had in that respect? "The decision regarding Suslov was mine alone, and it was made with great respect for a player I hold in high regard. But clearly, at a time of great uncertainty, with the transfer market open, players leaving and arriving, and perhaps some players in the dressing room considering other options, I cannot allow this important moment for us to be affected: the start of the season, the first official Coppa Italia match and then the league opener. From this point of view, with the utmost loyalty and respect, because I was a player myself and therefore know how these dynamics work, it is my responsibility to remove these distractions. That is exactly why I want players who are one thousand per cent focused".

Unlike Verona, Virtus Entella have kept the same coach in charge. They are a young team with some experienced players. What kind of opponent should we expect on Sunday? "An extremely difficult opponent, precisely for the reason you mentioned. When you compare, generally speaking, a coach with 350 training sessions over the course of a year to our 37, it is not only the technical aspect that makes the difference. That is why we need to compensate for that, acknowledge it and understand it. We cannot hide from it, and within that we need to find what is required to deal with these situations. That said, to tell the truth, as I mentioned before, the great dedication and involvement the players have shown so far make me fairly positive".

Today the new signing, Le Borgne, was officially announced. Can you describe him to us? And above all, is midfield perhaps the area where you still need further reinforcements? "We will definitely need to do something more there. He is a very interesting player. He has quality and we were not the only club interested in him. I like him. I do not like calling these players gambles, because he is not a gamble: he is a player who will certainly go on to do something important. We are giving him the opportunity to come here and help us. He is a player with quality, vision and energy. He has already been through a development process as well, because from January last season he played for Avellino, where I watched him. So he is a bit like some of the other young players we have signed, Cerbone for example. They are players who will certainly have a clear path ahead of them, because they will have the opportunity to show their value. They have to contribute their part, and we will provide a lot of work and a lot of trust, because young players need that".

On Sunday, will we see what could be considered your first-choice line-up, almost a dress rehearsal ahead of the league opener, or will you change something and rotate the team a little? "No. I like to think in terms of twenty starters. Nowadays, matches are very often changed by the five players who come on, because with five substitutions you are changing 50% of the team. So I need everyone to be ready. Clearly, those who initially give me the most guarantees will start, but I am convinced that whoever comes on will have to perform at a high level, and little by little I want to consider them starters as well. So, from that point of view, we all need to have this mindset".

How is Bega? Are there any other players unavailable? "Bega has completed two training sessions with the team, yesterday and today. He is getting back into it. Clearly, he is a player with a strong physical build, so he will need some work as well, but he is training with the team. There are no other absentees. Today I told the team who our captain will be: it will be Edmundsson. The captain's armband is something important because it represents values that embody the spirit we need to have. I am not interested in how many matches a player has played or how young he is. There is a player who is doing extremely well, Slotsager, and he is young too, but he shows the dedication, application and desire in his work of a great professional, a veteran. So I chose Edmundsson because I have been impressed by the way he trains and by the attention he puts into his work, both before and after training. He is a player with important values. He also speaks Spanish well, but I told him he needs to learn some Italian too because he will have to communicate with the match officials".