Beşiktaş Defender Djalo Credits Coach Italiano for Development

Beşiktaş defender Tiago Djalo has credited coach Vincenzo Italiano with boosting his confidence and contributing to his development. "Vincenzo Italiano made me feel important," Djalo stated at a press conference ahead of the team's UEFA Europa League play-off match against Kauno Zalgiris. "He is helping me improve and has explained what I need to do. I believe I will get better step by step. I am very happy right now."

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Vincenzo Italiano made me feel important. He is helping me improve and has explained what I need to do. I believe I will get better step by step. I am very happy right now.

Addressing competition in the defensive line, Djalo emphasized his readiness for any decision the coach makes. "As a professional, you must be ready for everything. The coach makes the decisions," he said. "Emirhan, Felix, and Agbadou could also play tomorrow. You need to adapt here. It's all up to the coach. We want to do our best."

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As a professional, you must be ready for everything. The coach makes the decisions. Emirhan, Felix, and Agbadou could also play tomorrow. You need to adapt here. It's all up to the coach. We want to do our best.

Djalo also reflected on a controversial hair-pulling incident during a match against Eyüpspor. While acknowledging the need for more caution, he described the situation as a normal foul. "Everyone can have an opinion about the last match. That's fine. I need to be more careful, but I think it was a normal foul," Djalo explained. "If I need to get the ball and be aggressive to do it, I am ready to do that."

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Everyone can have an opinion about the last match. That's fine. I need to be more careful, but I think it was a normal foul. If I need to get the ball and be aggressive to do it, I am ready to do that.

Assessing Beşiktaş's defensive performance, the Portuguese center-back noted the team's ongoing adaptation to a new system. "As a defender, not conceding goals is important. We can be better. We have many matches ahead. We have players who can make a difference. We are playing with a new system. I think the team can be better," he stated. Djalo also highlighted the impact of system changes, suggesting that players adapt better to certain formations, differentiating the current season from the previous one.

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As a defender, not conceding goals is important. We can be better. We have many matches ahead. We have players who can make a difference. We are playing with a new system. I think the team can be better.