Ranieri: We reacted well to a few setbacks

The Giallorossi twice had to fight back after going behind, with Nicolo Zaniolo and Diego Perotti getting the goals either side of half-time.

Nevertheless, Roma have now gone three games without a win in the league.

Tonight was a game full of emotion, in which the team had to come up with some answers: did they?

“At a time when nothing is going for us, to play like this against an excellent Fiorentina, who put seven goals past us in January, we had to be careful not to give them space and the defence did well at this. It’s a shame we conceded from a corner because our plan was to block off their three jumpers. It was a lapse in concentration that cost us dearly. I was pleased with the team’s pride and the way they reacted. It’s not easy to be in our shoes, because something goes wrong every time and you have to work your way back into the match. I believe our fans had reason to be happy at the final whistle.”

Was it Nicolo Zaniolo’s job to mark German Pezzella on that corner?

“Not only him, there should have been two or three guys covering him. When you play zonal, if you let the opponent have a run at you, they’ll always beat you. That’s why we had to stop Fiorentina’s three jumpers. On that occasion, Nicolo was on his own and couldn’t do anything. However, he did well in the game, as did Kluivert: I’ve got a lot of faith in Justin. He’s not matured yet but he’s got great pace and crosses well. I needed someone to cover and attack Cristiano Biraghi in that area of the pitch and he did that really well.”

Do you view Zaniolo as a trequartista?

“Yes, but he still needs to improve. He receives the ball with his back to goal and it’s easy for the midfielders to take ball and man, and the referees let play on. When he receives the ball in motion he’s devasting, but he’s young and needs to develop more.”

You fought hard and came back into the contest twice. Considering all the problems you’ve had, you’re not that far off the Champions League spots. How do you feel?

“It’s a shame, but right now we must also be satisfied. We were able to react and show determination. We won our personal battles. We needed first to prove something to ourselves and then to show our fans that they can count on us, that we can still do well and that we can qualify for Europe.”

Are you working on the injury problems?

“We’re working on it and looking at all the info. We’re playing every two or three days and you can’t do anything besides recover and prepare for the next match. [Diego] Perotti also has a problem in his thigh; let’s hope it’s nothing serious but we’ll see tomorrow. It’s unbelievable: I get two back but then lose another two – that’s how this year has gone. We must be stronger than what’s happening to us.”

How are Patrik Schick and Javier Pastore doing?

“For me, Schick is a great player who needs to overcome his shyness. He’s got great technique but he has to show it in games. I really believe in him and I expect a lot from him. Pastore is recovering from an injury, he’s not ready yet. He can help us out, provided he comes on with the same determination and aggression that his team-mates showed today.”