Spalletti's pre-Lazio press conference in full

The first leg at the Stadio Olimpico gets underway at 20:45 CET on Wednesday.

See what the coach had to say in the transcript below.

How have Lazio changed since the league meeting?

“They’re a team that has been well put together for the success they’re enjoying. I think the only doubt there was surrounded the coach but he’s proved recently that he’s not just the supporting cast. He can aspire to coach a top team, so we’ll face strong oppositon.”

Is it tougher mentally or physically with so many games in quick succession?

“These are three very exciting matches and they don’t take anything out of you. This is the level of football we want to be at and now we’re right in the thick of it. This is where we belong. It’s part and parcel of this level. Clearly players put a lot in physically and we’ll be forced to make some changes over the course of these three matches but I’m sure the team will be ready regardless of who I pick.

"We can clearly see how much our players have matured and that’s something we touched upon in the team talk on Sunday night. We’ve been working together for a year now. We can feel the team have matured significantly – there’s been a change. That’s essential, as is having the mental strength to approach this spell which pits us against a number of top sides.”

Do you expect a cautious approach from the opposition given there’s the second leg in a month?

“We only know how we can deal with that. We can dictate how the game goes. We want to come out of this match well. They will play their usual game. They’re very good at getting numbers behind the ball and breaking quickly as they did against Inter. They break well with strong runners and quality on the ball.

"They have quick, powerful, physical and technical players in the side. They will definitely play as a team and we have to do likewise and give a bit extra because we want to win this semi-final.”

It will also be a clash of two great front lines. Just how special is it to have [Edin] Dzeko, [Radja] Nainggolan and [Mohamed] Salah playing together?

“Their varying attributes make a powerful unit. One is physical and technical, while another is light and quick but can be very dangerous when attacking goal. Then there’s a player who can do everything. You can ask him to do anything and he’ll produce.

"The media have had some fun trying to come up with adjectives for him or comparisons. One headline could be “Footballer 2.0”. I’m sure that ten Nainggolans in a team would produce a brilliant side. Their goals are important too and if they keep going they’ll take us all the way.”

Does your approach to the derby change given there's a second leg to play too?

"I think it's very similar to other derby matches. Giving everything you've got should be a constant in this job. When you've got a fanbase behind you like the Giallorossi one and you're a professional, you are required to behave and perform like one. You want to display strength and conviction. That applies to both the players and me.

"The derby is important for three reasons because it gives us the chance to make the final. Plus it's important to our fans and we're well aware of what matters to the supporters. We've always squeezed out every last drop as we approach games. I haven't seen anyone who's not on board with this cause. But this time we'll dig even deeper."

Does the form book get thrown out of the window on derby day? Or is that a small-town mentality? It doesn’t happen in Turin for instance...

“It depends on the differences. A derby brings together a lot of ability and options. Every game has things in common and perhaps the derby has lots more. It will definitely be a more even game than Turin. The emotional side is important, however. It gives you a lift but also takes its toll. It’s frightening but when fear comes knocking at your door you need to have the courage to open it and look it in the eye and fear will leave of its own accord.”

Is it better to go into a derby as favourites or underdogs?

“Sometimes the people claiming you’re favourites are those that tweeted saying that Dzeko never hits the target, that Emerson isn’t a footballer and that Juan Jesus is surplus to requirements. They’re things that are written and remain out there. All I’ll say is there are two sides who meet on an even keel. They’ve shown they have ability and can play football. We have equally important targets beyond this match.

"There are other issues when it comes to work and devising a club’s plans. They focus heavily on this match. It depends on how they manage the spotlight on this fixture. In the meantime we’ve got better. I haven’t seen any videos doing the rounds calling people to bear arms and go into battle, so that means we’ve made progress.”

You went into the game in early December one point above Lazio in the league. That gap is now eight. How much of an impact will the crowd have? From the looks of it, Roma have sold 8,000 tickets...

“The next derby is the one that matters to me, not what’s gone before. If people want to see tomorrow’s match in an empty end of the ground, it certainly won’t be ours. Our end is an iconic setting for our hordes of passionate fans. That’s our home. When we think of our place, we think of a full house. There are loads of us and the numbers are growing all the time.

"You can feel Giallorossi passion in the air. The Curva Sud will be packed out tomorrow. There’s red and yellow running through the girders. It’s a place that will always be packed to the rafters and we want to always see it chock-a-block.”

Other than [Simone] Perrotta playing off [Francesco] Totti, is Nainggolan in the hole the greatest tactical innovation of your career?

“Perrotta was a very similar player to Nainggolan. He’s still in good shape and could still do a job for 45 minutes. They’re players that can do everything – they can adapt to anything. They started from the bottom and don’t need to be pigeonholed to get playing time. I remember the first time I met Perrotta at dinner and I asked him where he wanted to play. He told me that with a team behind him he’d have played anywhere but that it wasn’t yet a team. Radja’s exactly the same.

"You ask him, he takes the information on board and produces. If you leave him to his own devices, he produces anyway although he’ll always have enough in the tank to put in that last sprint forward. It’s easy for me to bask in the glory but I don’t deserve credit for this. He’s a top player. He can improve the team in front of the defence too. He brings together what so many different players offer. He’s good at chasing down opponents and pinching possession. Not everyone does that. He carries the ball, harries opponents and denies them time and space in which to play. He’s a rare breed. I don’t deserve any credit.”

Are the team in danger of becoming too reliant on Nainggolan’s game?

“No because we have a strong team. When I talk about maturity, I mean that all of the players have made progress. There are matches that he hasn’t played in, where I picked someone else and we won anyway. If not we’ll make the same mistakes we have thus far. I don’t think Roma are a one-man team. We’re a team, a club, a group of committed professionals. Roma are a team.

"Radja said post-match that he does those things thanks to the support of his team-mates. That’s how things work. It might be that with the current balance in the team, he’s able to produce that bit extra. Otherwise he wouldn’t be able to provide that crucial balance. That’s how we have to look at things though. We need lots of good players.

"One top player is never enough for a team to win games. Now we have to find the right words. Absolute power negates any desire you have to look for solutions. Overall progress is crucial to eventually become a great team.”

Could [Daniele] De Rossi be rested or is he too important to miss the derby?

“I can understand that you want to ask me about my team selection but you can appreciate that’s it hard to discuss that on the eve of a derby. I have to see my players in training again. Some of them played 90 minutes on Thursday and 90 on Sunday. I started De Rossi on Thursday to show the importance of that match, as he’s one of the captains.

"Everyone always focuses on the starting line-up. What matters is seeing how a player is out there on the pitch. Seeing how they’re doing after the knock they suffered. I can’t tell you whether or not he’ll start.”

The derby will once again be held in the evening and the barriers will be taken down. Is this a test for the Stadio Olimpico and are you confident the fans will pass it?

"I'm always confident and it's a big occasion. I believe that when there are two views at opposite ends of the spectrum, the compromise is always bang in the middle. It's unlikely someone is willing to say you're completely right. We have to do our bit. Our aim is to experience nights of football like these. This has to be the peak of all our careers. I prefer evening kick-offs as they're more exciting and there's a better atmosphere.

"I've had the chance to travel all over the world and I've seen that evening kick-offs are the best games. They're giving us a chance and we need to meet them in the middle. I would go and watch tomorrow's match and tell my daughter all about it on the way home."