Gasperini’s thoughts on Roma 2-1 Midtjylland

Does the win have any particular significance?

"Not really. It's a victory that significantly improves our standings, and one which we achieved against a very good team. We didn't play a great game even though we took an early lead. I expected us to perform better technically because all the conditions were there for us to do so, but it's also fair to say that we’re playing a lot of games and we’re not always able to play at our best."

What didn't you like about Roma’s performance?

"We could’ve done better technically - we were sluggish with our passing and we made a lot of mistakes. What disappoints me is that I expected more in our build-up phase and for the attackers to play better, but the team held firm. That being said, it's clear that we need to perform much better on Sunday."

Is the false nine system convincing you? Is it your system of choice at the moment?

"No, it’s partly out of necessity, because [Evan] Ferguson is struggling with a sprained ankle. I chose to put him on as a sub. Like I said, we did some very good things this evening, and some not-so-good things. We definitely performed better last Sunday."

What's the latest on Manu Kone's condition?

"He suffered a blow to his ankle which caused a small sprain. Now we'll have to see how the next few days go for him."

Can Neil El Aynaoui be Roma’s third starter in midfield?

"El Aynaoui is already one of our starters. He alternates with [Bryan] Cristante and Kone, so he's a player we can count on. He's improved significantly and he did an excellent job today."

Did you like how Daniele Ghilardi performed?

"Ghilardi played well and he’s in excellent shape. He was very motivated, and it was very important to him, because he's been struggling a lot so far which has meant he's featured so little. However, he’s improving and he performed well tonight. He can still improve technically, because he missed a few dangerous passes, but there’s no doubt that he did well."

Was it a tiring game for your side?

"It was, because when you don't play particularly well, you always have to win the ball back, so you expend a lot more energy. We did start well, and the wind was blowing in our favour, but then we slowed down a bit. It wasn't just a question of intensity and athleticism, because we did run a lot, and it wasn’t like we had fitness issues until the end. We needed to get the attackers to play better because they also help us move the ball around better. We did some good things in fits and starts, and you also have to consider that we were playing against a quality team with some very good players."

What did you make of Paulo Dybala's performance?

"Dybala has recovered - he's in good shape. He's overcome his injury, so he’s got no fitness issues. I substituted him late on but he could have played until the 90^th minute -he's fully recovered. He found it tough going at times playing in the centre. Let's see if he can still play in that role or whether he can be more effective playing in a wider position."