At the same time, however,no one at Viola Park intends to leave him out in the cold. The season is still wide open, survival is yet to be secured, and the Conference League spot remains a possibility. To achieve all this, the Icelandic player will need to be at his very best. That is why Vanoli does not seem keen to bench him in the final stretch.
Beyond the pitch, the mental aspect also plays a part. Gudmundsson is now well known in Florence: for someone used to starting every game, a place on the bench would hardly be the right incentive to turn things around in this final stretch. Raffaele Palladino tried the same approach last year, without much success.
Gudmundsson needs to be supported, valued and put back at the heart of the project when necessary. And that is what Paratici and Vanoli intend to do until June. Then we’ll see.