Fonseca: Smalling and Veretout to miss game

Coach Paulo Fonseca faced the media on Saturday afternoon to preview the upcoming Serie A meeting with Sassuolo.

Sunday's game at the Stadio Olimpico gets underway at 15:00 CET.

Here's what the Portuguese had to say about the game...

Will you have Jordan Veretout and Chris Smalling back for this game against Sassuolo?

“No, they are not ready for the game. Smalling has trained with the group today, he’s doing better, we expect to have him back next week. With Veretout I’ve decided not to risk him for this one.”

Are either Marash Kumbulla or Federico Fazio ready to start the game?

“We’ll see tomorrow. The truth is we don’t have a lot of central defenders available right now. Fazio and Kumbulla both had to stop for a while, so they are not in the best shape. We’ll see if one of them plays.”

Was Smalling expected to be out for this long? Is there a fear that this knee problem could become something more serious?

“I’m not worried that it could become something more serious. He trained today, he did well, and he’ll be back very soon.”

Can Lorenzo Pellegrini and Gonzalo Villar play together in central midfield, or do they lack a bit of physicality for that?

“I don’t have too many different options in midfield either right now. Tomorrow two of Pellegrini, Villar and Amadou Diawara will play.”

Last season both games between these two sides finished 4-2, with a home win each. Will this be another high-scoring affair?

“It' two attacking sides. I really like how they play the game. They’ve won their last four away matches. In terms of their attacking quality, they are a really strong side. I think it will be an open game. It’s going to be tough, Sassuolo are in great form.”

You haven’t had much time to prepare for this game. Are you focusing more on how to attack Sassuolo, or how to defend against their attacking options?

“As always, for all the different moments in a match, we’ve prepared a defensive strategy and an attacking one. It’s true that we haven’t had a great deal of time to get ready, but we’ve prepared the side for every eventuality.”

Given the defensive shortages, are you thinking of continuing with Riccardo Calafiori at full-back – with Leonardo Spinazzola among the centre-backs? And, more generally, what do you think about the club’s approach to young players?

“I have a slightly different opinion to some of you. For me Calafiori is a young player with potential – but he needs to improve, he needs to learn, he needs to grow. He’s young and so that’s all very normal.

“For you all, however, he’s the best in the world right now. And that’s not a good thing, it doesn’t help young players. He had a good game, I was pleased, and he’s improving – we believe in him and his potential, but that’s it. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

Will Antonio Mirante or Pau Lopez start in goal tomorrow? Over the next few games will there be more of a rotation between the two?

“I’ve chosen who starts tomorrow, but not the games after that.”

You are going up against a side that loves to build from the back, and playing balls in behind too. Should we expect Roma to be more aggressive with the press to prevent Sassuolo breaking out?

“You want to know everything: who plays, how we will play, the defensive setup, the attacking movements. Let’s see tomorrow what happens.”

It’s a very different season so far compared to last season. Have you been surprised by how things have started? Do you think you are in a head-to-head battle with Sassuolo for the Champions League spots?

“Sassuolo are where they are on merit. I am not surprised by it – we have seven, eight, nine strong sides in the league. The table shows how even things are.”

Players who’ve been less involved this season have seemingly always responded well when given an opportunity – who gets the credit for that?

“The team and the players do. When you are winning everything is easier. When you have a clear identity everything is easier. The players are all ready and know what they have to do when they come into the side. So from that the credit goes to them, for showing what they can do when they get a chance. That’s a really pleasing thing for me.”