Spalletti's pre-Cagliari press conference in full

The game gets underway at 20:45 CET.

As usual the coach began by giving an injury update on the status of his squad, although given the brief bulletin he transitioned into a message of support for those affected by the latest earthquakes in central Italy.

“Since today I don’t have any injuries to tell you about, [Alessandro] Florenzi aside, I’d like to start by offering a thought to all those people suffering at this time in Italy, and to all those who are coming to their aid," he said. "Our work today and tomorrow, with this thought in mind, will be easier for everyone.”

Do you think that, through your communication, you’ve helped your players progress mentally?

“I’ve not done anything. These players are serious professionals and people who go about their work in the right way. They need to recognise the significance of certain moments. This is a key moment, but it always is when you play for Roma. They also know that we call them ‘moments’ because they can pass us by quickly. If we want these moments to maintain their significance, we need to react to them in a certain way. We need to keep up this professionalism, this serious approach that the players are demonstrating.”

Of your away fixtures, does the draw at Cagliari stick out as your biggest regret?

“There have been a host of moments and results where we could have done more and have found things to improve. The same goes even when you win. Striving for improvement, that’s a continuous task. We want to show Cagliari that we’re not the same team we were when we played the away fixture. They will come up against a team in good shape.

"Cagliari beat Genoa 4-1. Milan had to wait until the very last moment to win against them. [Massimo] Rastelli is a coach on the up - one of many in Serie A. He’s harnessing the qualities he had as a player, getting his team to play with aggression and speed. They have players of an international standing, such as Bruno Alves, [Marco] Borriello, [Mauricio] Isla. We want to show them that we’ve improved.”

Thinking back to that match, the image of yourself beating the ground is one which sticks in the mind.

“I’ve seen that again. It was a reaction to two opportunities we didn’t take, two moments in which we should have scored. I was gutted. Despite that, we still could have won the game. Looking back at the match now, however, I can say that a draw was just about fair. We learned lessons from it. We have developed because of that.”

Without Mohamed Salah, Roma have still managed to win five out of five without conceding. Is that indicative of how this group has grown? Has that altered how you’ll approach the transfer window?

“It’s a bit of everything. We always say this: one single player is never fundamental to a team. If it’s just one guy who decides results, it’s hard succeed at the highest level. We have good depth in the squad. If we can get everyone fit and firing, then we have enough. You can have too many players, with not all of them playing to their best. Then there are times when you get three or four players who get injured, in the same area of the pitch, and that makes things very tough. As we stand, we have enough to contend with those kinds of situations. I think the president is right when says: ‘Rather than talking about other players, let’s give some praise to our guys for what they are doing.’ They are doing great things.

"Is it better to do something now to pre-empt any potential issues? Perhaps but at the same time, if nothing goes wrong we have more than enough. It’s good that if something does happen, someone has a chance to show what they can offer. It’s not just about numbers or getting bodies in. You can end up bringing someone in who then isn’t ready when you need him. We have a great squad. If we go into the market, we’ll get someone who is at our level. If we don’t, we’ll stick to what we have, which is competitive in every respect. At the moment, we’re happy with who we have available to us.”

What do you think of what [Walter] Sabatini said in an interview: he thinks there are four central hubs at the club?

“What Roma is doing this season is a result of the people working at the club doing their jobs well, and he is one of them. That’s what we need to do. Others then recognise your worth. We need to do what we’re doing right now. It’s what everyone is expecting and it’s our duty in this profession. There is one centre of importance: the team, the match, the pitch, the dressing room. We can attribute everything else to the professional set up we have at the club. If the squad is doing well it’s also down to Sabatini. He’s put a lot into building this team.”

The defence has shown itself to be very solid. How is [Thomas] Vermaelen recovering? His arrival was the crowning moment of the summer window.

“He’s always part of our plans. We’ve all become like Vermaelen in a sense. All the players are reaching his level. His arrival from Barcelona looked like something that would give us a little extra. We’ve all gone up to his level. When he’s involved, I’ll show just how important a player he is. When the time comes, it’ll have to be a careful decision because all the other defenders are doing well. We need lots of players of a similar level in this team. In the past, we’ve often spoken about the need to have more than one key player. Looking at our defence, from the five or six centre backs we have, you could pick them out of a hat. They’re all in great shape and are contributing exceptionally well. Let’s allow things to keep going that way, always monitoring them but in the knowledge that we have serious players here.”

If Paul Pogba cost what he did when Manchester United bought him, how much is Radja Nainggolan worth?

“You’ve taken the words right out of my mouth. I’d have said: ‘Radja is worth as much as Pogba.’ He’s a complete player. He’s very strong, the sort of guy we have a lot of in this team. Strength is a feature many of our players have. Some have other attributes, of course, but they all have that robustness. Obviously Pogba is a few years younger, but looking at what they do on the pitch and the quality they offer, it’s a comparison which holds up.”

Of the 41 goals your team has scored so far this season, none has been netted by a defender.

“That’s something we can improve. If you don’t concede many, it means you have defenders who are strong in the air and on the ground. If you’re strong in the air, that’s something you can exploit in the opposition box, especially when it comes to dead balls like corners. We need to make the most of them, capitalising on our physicality, height and weight. Manolas, Rudiger, Fazio, Jesus, Vermaelen can all head very well. We need to improve on that and we’ve discussed it.”

Do you feel like Roma are closer now to Juventus? Can you catch them?

“I have one overriding feeling, which is that we are a serious team. We have players that want to go about their business in a serious way. People now know that we’re a serious side. That’s the feeling in the air. That’s also been shown by the fact the fans took up their seats in the last game. Even if they aren’t there for the next few matches, the fact they were is still lifting - a refreshing gust of wind. It makes you want to do everything you can for Roma. We’re a serious team and we do things seriously.”