“We need to stay close to these boys who are fighting with passion and a desire to do well for Roma. I ask the fans for support in this final stretch; I hope they understand the situation we are in.” “The fans deserve the best, and that is what the ownership aims to achieve: a team that consistently occupies the top four or five spots and can contest for one or more championships,” said the giallorosso coach, who shifts focus to the upcoming match against Hellas managed by mister Zanetti, who are still in search of points for safety, while Roma also needs to secure results for Europe, and must do so without a key player like Dybala and others not in peak condition.
“El Shaarawy and Dovbyk have trained differently, but they’re in good shape, and I will make a decision either tonight or tomorrow morning. It will be a very tough and crucial match; Verona closes all spaces and counter-attacks at full speed. We must be cautious not to get caught in their web.”
Content with the team’s effort, but also aware that there’s always room for improvement. “What the boys have done is remarkable. Physically, the team is in good shape, but our form isn’t optimal. Earlier, the team played with one or two touches and handled everything with ease. In the last two games, we haven’t been able to achieve that, and credit goes to Juventus and Lazio as well. Still, we are giving our all. I am very disappointed and upset with the set pieces in the derby. We need to work harder. Sometimes we lack cunning, cleverness, and determination to prevent the opponent from entering our penalty area. In some moments, we think we can go for the ball alone, but it doesn’t work that way: if I don’t win the ball, the opponent won’t either; that’s my belief.”
