Di Francesco: We still need to find our killer instinct

The match at the Stadio Olimpico gets underway at 15:00 local time.

Are mental or physical attributes more important to help you overcome difficulties during matches?

“You need both of those things, as well as technical ability. We must be good on every level if we want to compete and improve our performances, especially at home."

How are the players looking after this busy run of games and your midweek trip go Moscow? Will you make any changes tomorrow?

“I'll definitely switch a few things around but I still have to make up my mind and I'll do that after training. I don't want to change too much but we need fresh players against a side like Samp who play at a high tempo and get the ball up to the forwards quickly. We must be on the ball physically and mentally.”

Will Patrik Schick or Edin Dzeko play at centre forward?

“That's something I'm considering. They might both play but Patrik will definitely start.”

What about Justin Kluivert? He impressed for long spells of the game against CSKA.

“He's improving and that's the main thing. Having the odd not so good game is all part of his development. He messes around less now during matches and tries to be more pragmatic. I want him to become a better all-round player – use his ability to get past players but play off the shoulder sometimes too. If he can learn to mix it up better he could become a great player. He's got huge potential but he must keep improving every day. Some of his decision-making was excellent against CSKA but it could have been even better.”

Javier Pastore was in the stands against CSKA. How is he?

“You sit in the stands when you're not at your best. He felt a bit of a niggle yesterday so he won't be involved tomorrow. I'll try to get him fit for the next game. Any of our players could start just as any of them could go into the stands. No one is sure of their place. When Javier is back at his best he'll be an important player for us but he needs to return to full fitness first.”

Who will play in place of Daniele De Rossi? Are you considering any other options besides Bryan Cristante and Lorenzo Pellegrini?

“Those are the options. [Ante] Coric could be another option and he's improving but we need certainties at the moment. [Steven] Nzonzi might not be blessed with exceptional pace but he offers a constant presence during games. He's playing better and Moscow was perhaps his best game for us.”

Stephan El Shaarawy is Roma's top scorer in Serie A but Roberto Mancini has yet to call him up to the Italy squad. Is he under-rated? Has he yet to reach his full potential?

“I can't comment on Mancini's decisions but Stephan has had some excellent games this year. He hasn't been particularly consistent but I think he's come on lots. I'm pleased with his performances but he must never be happy with himself – he must keep pushing himself. He's improved but can improve much more.”

You'll be facing another coach from Abruzzo tomorrow. Do you think it's just a coincidence there are so many coaches from that area?

“It is just a coincidence. I haven't spent that much time in Abruzzo myself compared to other places. Marco Giampaolo has worked his way up to where he is today and hasn't always had it easy. I copied a few ideas from him when I started out. He was one of the coaches I took inspiration from for dealing with certain game situations.”

Juan Jesus and Federico Fazio have spoken about a lack of concentration in Serie A. How do you improve that?

“I've said it lots of times that if we want to play in the Champions League we must do well in Serie A. We won in Moscow but I wasn't at all happy with how we played in the last half an hour. We've achieved some unprecedented results and I'm proud of that but it's not enough for me. It annoys me terribly when we think we've done enough in games. We have to kill games off and win convincingly when we're clearly on top as it boosts confidence. It's a mental thing. You have to approach every game the same way. We need three points. Your performance is one thing, the result another, but I want a convincing performance that produces an excellent result.”

Will Juan Jesus play in defence tomorrow?

“He might play again. I think he's in great shape and he's always done well when I've picked him.”