Antonio Floro Flores set the tone for Benevento's Coppa Italia trip to Fiorentina on the eve of the match, saying his side will not go to Florence already beaten. He also confirmed that Vannucchi will play, giving the team a clear choice in goal as the cup tie moves into its final hours.
The remarks matter because they came with the match now immediate and with Benevento facing a Serie A opponent that Floro Flores described as strong and the product of an extraordinary transfer market. His message was not caution for its own sake. It was a line of intent: Benevento must keep its identity, show the humility of a provincial team and still try to manage the match rather than wait for Fiorentina's mistakes.
That balance is the point of the search now. Benevento are not being asked to pretend the gap does not exist. Floro Flores openly praised Fiorentina, said he respects Fabio Grosso as a prepared coach and admitted the opponent has quality across the board. But he paired that with a refusal to accept a defeat before kick-off, arguing that the team should lean on its own desire and not on any weakness in the other camp.
He also pointed back to Benevento's most recent outing, saying there were no tactical errors against Ravenna, only the need to recover the rhythm of last season and avoid small mistakes. That is why the goalkeeper call stands out. Floro Flores said Benevento have three excellent goalkeepers, but Vannucchi will get the nod in Florence, while Raffaele would have deserved to play against Ravenna and his absence is hoped not to be long. He added that the club still has to assess Ricci and that Celia remains available.
The result is a team entering a difficult cup match with a clear message and a few moving parts. Benevento are not pretending Fiorentina are ordinary. They are betting that belief, structure and a settled choice in goal can keep the tie alive long enough to matter.
Floro Flores also said he was struck by Verdi's humility and willingness to help the team, a note that fits the wider message he wanted to send: the squad can improve, but the pieces already inside it were chosen for a reason. What happens in Florence will test that claim immediately, and Vannucchi will be at the center of it.
