Garcia: We showed spirit and personality

Appearing at his post-match press conference, the French coach lauded the unity his players showed, especially in the second half when they managed to score a second goal despite being a man light.

“We showed great spirit and personality,” began Garcia. “We won the match and that was very important. When we went down to ten men the side showed cohesion and unity and that shows that we’re a real team.”

How did it feel when the team came over to celebrate the first goal with you?

“As a gesture it was certainly emotional for me. The most important thing is that the lads gave and did everything they could to get the win. They showed their personality. We were too slow in the first half, but that was partly down to a lack of confidence. We really improved in the second half and when we went down to ten men the players showed real team spirit, because when your legs have gone it’s down to putting your heart and soul into playing for the guy next to you. The fact that we secured the result and scored after the sending off is another sign of our unity and character.”

Can Roma now kick on from here to challenge in the league?

“I agree with what Alessandro Florenzi said after the game. We scored when the stadium got behind the team – that helped us find the energy we needed for the second half. The fans are a big asset for us. I think we still have a chance of achieving big things in the second half of the season and I hope we can do that with our fans in the stands. We’re still in the hunt in Serie A as we’re just three points off second spot, and we’re in the Champions League Round of 16. We have lots to look forward to in the second part of the season. These first five months have been very intense both mentally and physically, so now it’s time for us to rest up and kick on from what we’ve seen today.”

Is there an issue with Edin Dzeko?

“No, and today doesn’t change that. On a psychological level anyone who’s played the game can understand his frustration. Of course, Dzeko can do better and we will help him to rediscover his verve, his enthusiasm and his explosiveness. I have faith in him because we’ll have fewer matches after Christmas and so he’ll be able to return to 100%.”

Do you feel relaxed about the coming months?

“I’m a coach – I deal with the football side of things and making the team win. It was important to get the three points tonight, both for the players and for Roma, as it keeps us within three points of second spot. In the new year we’ll have Francesco Totti and Kevin Strootman back and we also have Sadiq Umar, who is learning from Dzeko. I’m delighted with Sadiq’s goal.”

Are there a few more lines on your face now?

“If there are then they’re lines of experience. I always look for the positives even in the tough times. A united side needs to show it can come through the negative periods and today we did just that.”