Bove on Fiorentina revival and why Mourinho nickname ‘did not help’ | OneFootball

Edoardo Bove spills the beans on life at Fiorentina with ‘nerd’ Raffaele Palladino, David De Gea and Moise Kean, but admits Jose Mourinho’s nickname for him at Roma ‘did not help.’

The midfielder was a product of the Giallorossi youth academy and was loaned to Fiorentina this summer for €1.5m with an option to buy for a further €10.5m.

That will become an obligation if he appears in 60 per cent of their games this season.

Although the campaign started in poor form, they have now won eight of their last nine between Serie A and the Europa Conference League.

“It took a while for us to understand the movements that the coach wanted, but now we are doing well,” Bove told Radio Deejay.

“There is a relaxed atmosphere now that helps us to focus. Palladino is a bit of a nerd, he focuses on every detail,” laughed the player.

Bove finding feet in Florence

He had a few issues with Mourinho at Roma, then was allowed to leave by Daniele De Rossi.

“Mourinho had nicknamed me ‘sick dog’ and that did not help, but I know he liked me anyway. In football, some coaches ask for something more and when you are running that hard, it can be difficult to stay sharp when you’re on the ball. Another difference this season is that I feel at the centre of the project.”

It has been said that the current Fiorentina squad is building its success on players who were unwanted elsewhere, like ex-Juventus striker Kean and free agent De Gea, who had been out of work for a year.

“That has been said and looking at the players, there is truth to it,” agrees Bove.

“We each left clubs for different reasons, but the motivation is there to prove what you are worth. De Gea is a fantastic person, I learned that the better a player is, the nicer a person he is.

“As for Kean, something clicked in his mentality, he takes on responsibility now and feels responsible for his teammates too. I would not concentrate so much on his goals as how he fights to win back the ball, that proves how much he cares.”