“We didn’t play well in the first half and we weren’t at our best in the second either. We conceded right at the start before we’d even settled on the pitch, going 1-0 down only a few minutes in.
"In the second half we were better, but it wasn't enough to change the course of the game. We’re coming to the end of the season and, inevitably, the team is tired, a consequence of such a long year. The girls who didn’t perform well today are the ones who have brought us this far, where we have just a few games left and a few points in hand over the teams chasing us. It’s our second defeat in a year in Serie A.
"It’s hard to stomach because we can see the finish line in sight and that make this harder to take, but if we try to analyse it clearly, we just have to try to get our energy back and hold firm because we’ve made it this far together.
"When you lose you want to play again immediately to make up for it, so the break is a bit annoying, but at the same time it will give us a few extra days to work, rest and allow other players to get their fitness back.”