Gasperini’s pre-Como press conference

Read what the coach had to say. 

It’s going to be a great game, with two coaches who have clear ideas. What type of match are you expecting? What are your thoughts on Cesc Fabregas?

“It’s certainly a highly anticipated game. Como have established themselves. They’re no longer a surprise. It’s not just because of the investments they’ve made but because of the quality of their players, and the style of play they show in matches. They can hold their own against the big teams. They’re undoubtedly one of the best teams and watching Como is always enjoyable. I think tomorrow we’ll see a match between two teams that will be wanting to win, without any subterfuge. It’s not a decisive match but it’s very important. It’ll affect the standings in the table. There aren’t many points between teams in the table, including Como, so it’ll be a high-level match.

Fabregas?

“He’s definitely made a mark on Como. Not just on the young talent they have, but also on their playing style.  They’re a team that likes to get results through putting on a show and using their playing ability. They’ve made some interesting choices, like allowing their wingers to cut inside. He often puts out lots of attacking players, a bit like they do in the Spanish school, relying on the team’s technique and dribbling ability.”

Do you have any updates on Neil El Aynaoui or Evan Ndicka’s situation?

“[Evan] Ndicka is still here. He’ll be there tomorrow. The rest we’ll see about in the next few matches. Regarding [Neil] El Aynaoui, Morocco have appealed to FIFA, so we’re waiting for them. This is a league matchday, and the teams that played on Saturday and Sunday were able to use players involved in the Africa Cup of Nations. Those of us playing on Monday have been asked not to use them, even though it’s the same matchday. We’re awaiting FIFA’s decision.”

In five months, what have you got out of this Roma team? What do you think you can improve? Also, would you like to end your career here?

“Yes, but not straight away, not in a hurry… (laughs, ed.). It’s been a positive impact, beyond expectations. I came with the intention and the hope of doing a good job, with the belief that this was the right atmosphere for me. Beyond what’s been said about the difficult environment at Roma and the fact my arrival here wasn’t welcomed by everyone, through hard work, performance, the behaviour of the team and players, and the support of the fans, we have made progress. We must always be ambitious. Obviously, we’ve got to improve. All teams want to play for spots at the top of the table, mainly because of economic reasons, but unfortunately that’s the way it is. For us to reach those goals that everyone wants, we can see everyone’s desperate, but we don’t need to be desperate. We need to be united. Fans, team, club, our way of working. We can’t be arrogant, but ambitious. To be ambitious, we need to work hard.

What’s preventing Roma from climbing higher up the table? Is it just a question of squad and players?

“Let’s put it this way, we have all the ingredients. We need to mix them together well to get results. With the fans, the club, the possibility of building a new stadium, there’s the possibility of developing a team. If there have problems recently, it’s because to reach certain goals, we must do more. It’s not bad luck. We need to make the right assessments. That’s essential. We need to evaluate everything and improve. But all the conditions for improvement are all there.”

You have always talked about a core group within this team, but against Celtic, you won by relying on other players. What’s the hierarchy within the squad at the moment?

“It’s not that there was more variety against Celtic. I’m very happy for [Niccolo] Pisilli. [Devyne] Rensch had already produced some results, El Aynaoui even more so. I’m happy for [Evan] Ferguson. [Stephan] El Shaarawy has been here a lifetime. It’s clear that as a team we have to play at a high level. Due to where we are in Europe and in the league, up to a certain level it’s fine, but then we have to raise the bar even higher when we have more competitive matches against stronger teams in order to achieve better results. We have young players who are improving so it’s going well. Overall, the team has been the key player so far, both in terms of the core players and those who have come in later. Everyone has always had the opportunity to play, and everyone will have the opportunity to carve out a place for themselves, but there will always be a hierarchy.”

You’ve always said, “Paulo Dybala has to be fit”. How is he doing physically at the moment? Will he be fit enough to play tomorrow?

“We’ll see in training today. It’s been positive recently, but like all key players, he has to be on top form because modern football doesn’t allow for any weaknesses, whether physical, mental, or motivational. You can see that in his performances on the pitch, in training and in matches. There’s no doubt when he’s on top form.”

Regarding Dybala, could he play a role similar to Luis Muriel’s? That is, coming in off the bench to make a decisive impact?

“I hope he can do even more than that, but it depends on him, not on me or other factors. For me, it’s always what happens on the pitch that counts. That’s what provides results. When he’s been fit, he’s always played, even full matches and several games in a row. It’s always the same issue. There’s no point looking for other explanations.”

Is Ferguson now a Gasperini player?

“He doesn’t need to be a Gasperini player, he needs to be a Roma player. That’s the most important thing. Is he useful for Roma? The other evening, he definitely was. That goes for the others too. Are they here to play at a certain level to reach certain goals? That’s always the point, or the way the coach plays. Roma is above everything, above everyone. When players are useful to the team, they have to play.”

Roma have only come back from behind once in Florence. Is that just a mental problem or is it also a problem with their play?

“Clearly there’s been a problem if it’s happened multiple times. Fortunately, football is dynamic and things can change. It can’t always be the case that if we concede a goal, we lose the game.”

Can tomorrow’s game be defined as a Champions League game? In terms of contract renewals, Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini’s situations have been spoken about a lot. Would you like to continue working with them both?

“That’s just an economic question. It’s not something I can comment on. Regarding a Champions League match against Como, we’re definitely playing for a place in the Europa League. We need to get Europa first, which isn’t easy, then we can get to the Champions League, which is even more difficult. As for the Europa League, we’ve got 12 points so far. We’re in the top 24 and by February we’ll definitely be in the Europa League. Then, if we manage to avoid the playoffs, that’ll be even better. But things always have to be done one step at a time. Tomorrow is an important step for Europa and eventually Champions League, but it’s not a decisive one.