Pasqual calls for unity as Fiorentina face Roma
Reuters - Thursday 01 December 2011, 14:36
Defender Manuel Pasqual has called
for unity at Fiorentina as the Serie A club, plagued by
poor form and disciplinary problems, face an AS Roma side
with similar issues on Sunday.
Fiorentina will attempt to win their first match and score
their first goal under coach Delio Rossi, who replaced the
sacked Sinisa Mihajlovic last month.
They also have internal problems, having fined Alessio Cerci
and Andrea Lazzari for breaking club rules after the players
were spotted in a nightclub in the early hours of the morning
last week.
The pair joined Juan Manual Vargas and Houssine Kharja in
the doghouse after the Peruvian and Moroccan were disciplined by
Mihajlovic for unprofessional behaviour.
"Now we need unity," said Pasqual.
"This is not the time to be causing trouble. I am convinced
that the ones who overstepped the mark will accept
responsibility.
"I do not know what goes on in their minds, but in the past
we used to be able to solve these issues."
Results under Mihajlovic were far from disastrous but the
fans became fed up with the team's lacklustre performances.
However, the decision to remove the Serb and replace him
with Rossi has so far backfired with a goalless home draw
against Milan and 2-0 defeat at Palermo.
Roma will be without top scorer Pablo Osvaldo after he was
banned for one game by coach Luis Enrique for lashing out at
team-mate Erik Lamela following the 2-0 defeat at Udinese last
week.
The Argentine-born forward has apologised for the episode
and offered to take his team-mates out for dinner to make
amends.
Big-spending Roma began the season with ambitious plans to
play like Barcelona, but have managed only five wins in 12
outings and are seventh, nine points behind leaders Juventus.
Fiorentina are 16th with only 13 points.
Leaders Juventus, unbeaten after 12 games and with 26
points, are at home to a resurgent Cesena on Sunday while
AC Milan and Udinese, two points behind them, have away games.
Champions Milan visit Genoa on Friday and Udinese are
at Inter on Saturday.