Gasperini on the eve of home clash with Midtjylland

Here’s what the Roma coach had to say.

How dangerous are Midtjylland, considering they’ve won all four of their games so far?

“They’re a good team that play attractive, attacking football. They have some talented young players, quality in attack and a mix of player profiles. It’ll be an open match with both teams looking to score.”

Is Scandinavian football improving compared to Italian football?
“These countries are very hardworking. Denmark, Norway, all the Scandinavian countries. They now have technically skilled players, not just physical ones. They’ve developed well, as the results show for both national teams and clubs. There’s no longer such a technical gap with other leagues, not just Italy. The fact they’ve won four out of four matches is a clear signal.”

Was there a mental turning point in the match against Inter, and have you worked on the mentality as well as physical preparation?

“I think it’s limiting to speak only about physical aspects. Football is a combination of many factors. This team is in decent shape, technically stronger and has improved tactically by playing more matches. We’ve grown, we have more solutions, and in terms of personality, we have players who always play their football even away from home. It would be particularly tough otherwise. This mix has led to a good run of results. We’re in a strong run of form and we need to continue improving.”

As for Paulo Dybala and Leon Bailey, will they be available tomorrow? How many minutes could they play for?

“The important thing is that they’re fully recovered from injury. Yesterday they trained with the team for the first time and today will be their second session, so if all goes well, they’ll be available. Minutes played are relative; what matters is that they are ready to play.”

Do you already know that Neil El Aynaoui and Evan Ndicka will be unavailable for the Africa Cup of Nations?

“They should leave about a week before the Africa Cup of Nations starts. They probably won’t be available for Monday’s match against Como and we’ll see for Thursday in the Europa League. Of course, I’m sorry to lose such important players, but we’ll cope with the squad we have, which is large and versatile. We knew this in advance. These two players are expected to go with their national teams: Morocco and Ivory Coast. We’re not against it at all, but they’re likely to be absent for a long period."

As the January transfer window approaches, have your views on the squad changed? 

“Everyone assesses players over time. You may have a certain opinion in October, which changes by November or December. If someone who was up for sale starts scoring, that changes things. The transfer market becomes realistic in January. Personally, I’m very satisfied with how all the players are developing, even those who play less. Right now there’s good confidence, visible even in less-used players during training. We need to be careful when bringing in new players. It must always be a considered decision and first we have to see what we have in-house. Anyone added must deserve it."

What about Mario Hermoso’s condition? As for Jan Ziolkowski, did you take him off because of the yellow card?

“Ziolkowski was substituted for that reason. We were leading and couldn’t risk being a man down. Also, El Aynaoui is in great form. If he hadn’t been booked, I probably wouldn’t have made the substitution immediately. As for Hermoso, he trained very well yesterday, and today we’ll see him with Paulo Dybala and Leon Bailey. If I select them in the squad, it’s because they’re ready to play.”

Is Franculino Dju from Midtjylland a player to watch for the January transfer window?

“Midtjylland have some good players, but I’m not here to rate opponents’ players. Tomorrow is an important match because losing two home games affected our qualification hopes, so we must focus on that right away and not wait for the following fixtures. We can’t rely on future matches; tomorrow’s game is crucial for our Europa League qualification and we must be fully focused.”

Are Roma able to cope with two or three competitions at the same time?

“In terms of numbers, yes. We’re trying. Our goal is to compete in all competitions and to go as far as possible. That’s the best way. The players are working hard to qualify for the next round of the Europa League. It’s not about not trying. They’ll give their best. The league and Coppa Italia will be the same. Fatigue isn’t a problem – the only limiting factor is injury. Players are fit and able to play many matches, as they have in recent years. There are 50 to 60 matches including international duty over the year.

Do you expect any of your players to make a big leap in quality?

“I’m pleased with everyone. The answers I’ve seen in training and in matches have been excellent. There are situations involving certain players and also the team as a whole. There were good results initially despite some of the performances not being fully convincing. The performance level then improved, so this is the way to go. I’m lucky to have a team that responds, works hard, is confident, excited and working in a positive environment. That sums up the atmosphere that they’ve created. If you have a fertile garden, good fruit will grow. I’m lucky to coach these players.”

You faced Midtjylland with Atalanta a few times. What are your memories from those games and are you surprised to see them top of the league now.

“Being top may be slightly surprising, but it’s well deserved based on their performances. I have fond memories of the previous encounters. They had quality players, some of whom went to Italy or the Premier League. Now the team is even more developed, with interesting young players. It was already difficult previously when I was at Atalanta and [Cristian] Romero equalised at the end. I know how good they are and now they’ve evolved further. This shows that many teams are working very hard and have talented players. You just need to watch them closely to understand that.”