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The Giallorossi take on APOEL at Trigoria on Wednesday at 15:30 CEST, having beaten the Cypriots 3-0 in the first leg of their first-round tie on 28 September.
“We have to forget the first-leg result and play as if this was the first game,” De Rossi said.. “It’s important that we take the game by the scruff of the neck and put everything we have into getting a goal.
“APOEL certainly didn’t embarrass themselves in the first leg. They’re a very well-balanced, well-organised team. They don’t enjoy long spells of pressure in matches but we still need to be very wary. It’s a massive game which could see us qualify for the next round of a competition we hold in very high regard."
De Rossi’s side are in fine form in the league too, having bounced back from their opening-day defeat to Entella with four straight wins, the most recent of which was the 2-0 defeat of Crotone at home on Friday.
“The lads are very calm and feel nice and positive. The most pleasing thing is that we’ve been switching the line-up a lot recently yet the wins keep coming. That’s really good to see and bodes well for the future,” said De Rossi.
“There will be some changes to the starting eleven,” added the Primavera coach, turning his attentions back to the APOEL match. “That said, it’ll be done for good reason and without upsetting the balance of the side – that’s what we worked hardest on after our defeat on the opening day.
"The balance of the team has a massive bearing on any result.”
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