Dzeko: We must look forward

A shocking decision by the referee – the sort we hadn't seen for a long time – changes our assessment of the game somewhat...

“It's a bad mistake and it shouldn't happen at this level. With those two extra points, the group would look different. Now we have three more games in which anything can happen. If we'd won today, everything would have been easier. I don't understand the referee. He seemed so confident, but he can't have seen a handball. I saw straight away that it hit the face.”

What did you say to the referee?

“He sent us away saying he saw a penalty. I said, 'Look at Smalling's face' because it was all red. I suggested he wait a minute, because you can't give a penalty like that right at the death. It's unacceptable. For him it was a clear penalty but we'd seen it right, not him.”

You were always in control of the game but perhaps you could have broke forward better on a few occasions?

“We did control the match well. In the second half they had more of the ball but we had more chances and never got caught out. It's two points lost, but we must look forward. This match is finished and we can't do anything about it now.”

How are you physically? Do you think Roma will come through this period?

“I need to get used to the mask because I can't see very well but mentally I'm fine and that's important. It's a shame. It's not a great spell for us. This was our fourth draw in a row and a win would have been a morale boost. There's no point looking back though, only forward. We have a match against AC Milan and we must do everything possible to win it.”

What sort of thing has the boss said to the team in this period?

“That we must do better. Our performance against Sampdoria definitely wasn't good enough. In the second half we kept the ball but played easy passes without taking any risks – you can't win games like that.”