Speaking to Football Presse, Florio said: “The team is doing very well this year. We hope we can aim very high.” He added: “Gasperini is one of the best Italian coaches, if not the best of all. I hope they can achieve every objective. It will be difficult, but I hope they can do it.”
Florio, who trained alongside elite players during his time at Roma and later enjoyed a key spell with Monza, offered a balanced view on two of the club’s leading figures, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala.
“Rome is always a difficult place,” he said. “You have to prove yourself game after game. They are two important players for the club. Pellegrini has had some difficult moments and is sometimes criticised, but I think they are both great players. I hope they can continue at Roma.”
Given his past with Monza, Florio is particularly well-placed to assess their current project and the work of head coach Paolo Bianco.
“I know Bianco very well and I think he has done well in almost every opportunity he has had,” Florio explained. “I hope he can take Monza back to Serie A immediately. The club has an important project.”
Turning to the wider Serie A title race, Florio expects a fiercely competitive campaign.
“Serie A is very open. It’s a long and difficult championship,” he said. “I always hope Roma can win it, but we will have to see. SSC Napoli are doing very well, and teams coached by Massimiliano Allegri are always competitive. They fight until the last minute and often win games by small margins.”
Reflecting on his own era, Florio admitted Italian football has lost ground compared to the 1990s and early 2000s.
“At that time, all the best players in the world were in Serie A,” he said. “Now the difference is clear. It’s about finances and attractiveness. Clubs in England, Spain, Germany and France have greater resources to attract top players.”
On the international stage, Florio backed Gennaro Gattuso to guide the Italy national football team back to the World Cup.
“I hope they can qualify. It would be terrible not to,” he said. “Apart from the match against the Norway national football team, where they were stronger, the team has done well and put together many positive results.”
Florio also reflected on his coaching experience in the United States, where he worked during a period of rapid growth for the game.
“Football is growing exponentially there,” he said. “At youth level it is one of the most played sports. MLS is improving — before they signed older players, now they are bringing in strong players at a good age.”
He added that the influence of Lionel Messi has been transformative. “Messi has been a reference point and attracted more attention to the league.”
Looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup in North America, Florio believes the tournament will accelerate that growth even further.
“It will be very interesting and will shine an even bigger spotlight on football in the United States,” he said. “There will be many new fans after the tournament.”
Now back in Cosenza, Florio is focused on developing the next generation.
“I work with young players every day,” he said. “It’s very rewarding to pass on my experience and enthusiasm. I hope one day they can reach professional football.”