Pellegrini’s comments following Rangers v Roma

Here’s what the Roma player had to say.

One of the assets of this team is that when they have to deliver, they hardly ever fail. You responded and made tonight’s match look simple.

“Winning tonight was important for us: it was a way to bounce back. It wasn’t a simple match, at least that’s not how I saw it. It was important to maintain the consistency of what we are doing. We’re on the right path.” 

Where are the team right now? Some ups and downs. Give us a snapshot of the current situation.

“I think it’s a bit too early for that. One must appreciate that we’re constantly improving. At the start of the season, we would get some results but not with this determination and improvements. Our goal is to continue to improve. Then everything will be clearer for us too.”

How do you feel physically? What has Gian Piero Gasperini’s impact been on you and the rest of the team? He pays a lot of attention to a player’s physical condition.

“It was a tough start because I had previously sustained an injury and undergone surgery. I’d do certain things during training, but I still missed playing the actual matches. From the derby on, I found the consistency I was looking for, which honestly slowed me down a bit physically. I felt as though I couldn’t fully recover. 

“I feel well physically, I feel well, I feel sharp, calm, and I’m happy about it. Last summer was tough for me mentally, but I’m happy. As has already been said before, our coach has high expectations, but he knows what he needs to do to get the right response from us. I’m happy that he’s the Roma coach, both as a player and as a fan.”

When will Roma click in attack? There seemed to have been some improvements tonight. How do you feel?

“We’re trying to communicate a lot, which I believe is important. Today Artem [Dovbyk] did a few movements that he wouldn’t have done in the past. It’s not just an individual matter; it’s about the entire unit. If he moves in a certain way, I pass the ball to him in a certain way and we try to understand each other. You have very few seconds to decide when you’re on the pitch. We’re working hard and we’re constantly improving. We can do even better; we could’ve scored more goals tonight.”