Pallotta on derby disappointment, Stadio della Roma, Liverpool and more

Pallotta watched on at the Stadio Olimpico as the Giallorossi twice hit the woodwork against their arch-rivals, but saw Eusebio Di Francesco's side ultimately forced to settle for a draw.

Here's what the president had to say as he spoke to Mediaset...

Are you disappointed after tonight’s game?

“Well I would be disappointed any time, no matter who we played, if we had lost, or if we had tied. We got the point, a tough game, we had some chances. We had a lot of chances to finish stuff and we didn’t finish it. Coming off a really tough, emotional week - we need to start taking care of business in the next bunch of weeks in Serie A and not start thinking of Liverpool yet. We have two important games before that and we have to think about those. You know, we’ll take the point."

Everyone is talking about the game against Liverpool. Is the goal getting to Kiev?

“Well the goal is actually Genoa, at the moment. Then SPAL. Then Liverpool.

You sound just like Di Francesco…

“I mean at least we are consistent, we think the same way! Which is why we get along. We will think about Liverpool when the time comes. And it’s funny, because you know Liverpool isn’t just the dream of Roma, Liverpool is owned by my friends in Boston and Roma have Boston connections – so it’s a Boston derby going on.”

What about Stadio della Roma?

“Sure, look, we went in and met again. We’ve got a couple of little, longer things on the process. As far as we are concerned it has been approved, but the final processes have to be finished before we get to July. If it doesn’t get done before July then it goes on another year, and if they keep pushing it beyond that then Roma won’t have a stadium.

"So right now it is up to the politicians, they need to get their process done. If it goes on too long, it ends up costing too much money, and unfortunately for the fans Roma won’t have a stadium. So the fans need to get on everybody, and everybody has to support what we are trying to do.”

Which side between you, Lazio and Inter is in the best shape heading into the run-in?

“I certainly hope it is us. I am not worried about what Inter does, I’m not worried about what Lazio does. If we take care of business then we are in the position to be in the Champions League next year. So I am not really concerned about what they do, I am worried about us playing our game and taking those last six.”

Are you glad you did not sell Dzeko?

“Well we were never out there soliciting any bids for Dzeko. We got a couple of phone calls on it, there was some interest in him, and you know the way the world works – you have to listen to everything, but that does not mean you have any interest in wanting to sell him. I love having him on our team. You saw what he did against Barcelona, they couldn’t control him - he was a monster.

"So we don’t have interest in selling him but, again, in the real world is that all of us in every single team has to listen to what any team that calls up has to say. Who knows when people are going to throw out a bid on somebody. But we wouldn’t do it for the money anyway, we would only do it for the team, for today and the future. We weren’t really that serious, but we at least have to listen when someone calls.”

And what about going up against Liverpool and Mohamed Salah?

“Are we happy to face Liverpool? Are we happy to face Salah? Look, he’s a great player, we would have loved to have kept him. He felt he had something to prove and wanted to go back to the Premier League. We had a great relationship here, with the team he has a lot of friends on his team. He is difficult to control, clearly, I think we probably have some idea of how he plays, it’s not like someone is coming in and we have never seen him play before.

"We have a couple of years of at least seeing him even though he has played on this higher and higher level. Look, it should be the fun. The best part about it is I hope the fans appreciate the years that Salah was here, and what he has been doing this year, and he deserves a warm welcome back in Roma.”