Gasperini analyses Bologna win

This is what he had to say...

That was an impressive performance by Roma. How would you rate it?

“I'd rate the players highly. You can't expect to have everything fine-tuned in the first game but we played with the right energy from the start. We were up against a difficult side and Bologna played very well. It's a nice boost for us.”

What did you make of the new players? Evan Ferguson's movement was good, Wesley scored and Neil El Aynaoui showed his pace.

“They're very young players with plenty of room for improvement. Tonight they gave a good showing of what they can do and we saw how compact this team is. I saw that in pre-season, especially abroad where it's not easy playing in full stadiums. We did lots of good things against Bologna tonight and it was really nice to see the fans showing they appreciated it.”

How did you feel in your first game at the Olimpico? Which area of the pitch were you most pleased with?

“It's hard to rank anything tonight. We were really tight, really compact. Our forwards did well defensively too. We stuck together as a unit, were aggressive and got to the ball first. There was a lot of quality to our play and we should have taken the lead before the interval. In the second half we did well in all areas of the pitch. If only we'd been a little more calm and collected, we could have added a second, but the fact we were able to dig in is another positive. It shows this team has plenty of character.”

The team already seems to be clicking well in all areas.

 “We were bold today. It's not easy against Bologna with their dangerous forwards and the quality they have on the bench. We worked tirelessly when out of possession. I'm happy. The first game is never easy for anyone, not even the well-established teams. To have played with this spirit in this stadium against this team is a big injection of confidence for us.”