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This is what the boss had to say.
Gianluca Mancini, Manu Kone and Zeki Celik trained separately yesterday. How are they doing? Could someone have to sit out or was it just a precaution?
“Both things. Maybe Kone. We'll have a look today in our final training session. We'll see.”
What sort of game are you expecting against Bologna, also considering the condition of the team?
“It's in or out. There's no draw – there has to be a winner. We'll have 90 minutes at least and possibly extra time and penalties. European matches are different to league games, perhaps even more interesting and unusual.”
Could this match mark a turning point in your season?
“We've already had lots of important games for us to continue harbouring bigger ambitions. This is a do-or-die match which gives you the chance to play another two “turning point” matches. I'm not keen on calling it a turning point but it conveys the idea of the importance of the game: this is a competition where you can keep going or you can go out. In that sense, it's more important than a league.”
Were you convinced by the Italian Referees Association's explanation for Wesley's red card against Como?
“Looking back at the images, when you feel people are making a fool out of you, you look a bit like a fool. Let's put it like that, at least that way we won't make it difficult for anyone.”
What's morale like at the moment? The mood of the fans, especially on social media, swings about a lot depending on results. Do you look at social media?
“No, but we have to accept all reactions, be it on social media, from fans or journalists, good or bad. We have to focus on working as best we can to make people happy and to get results. We have a clean conscience: the players are putting everything into it and that gives us reason to be calm. We all want the best but what the team are doing is extraordinary. I think it's very good and I've said as much to the players, not to sweeten the pill but because I really believe in this team. From the start of the season they've shown nothing but the utmost professionalism, hard work and application. They're trying to do the very best they can.”
Do you think Roma and Bologna are better suited to a knockout game like this, given your European attributes?
“I don't know if it suits us better because in these games a single moment can be even more decisive than in Serie A, as you have less time to make up for it. This is a return leg so we'll need absolute focus and many other things, like when you play a final. A lot comes down to your ability to take the chances you get and to stand firm when you're under pressure. However, both teams can do Italian football proud because they've always done well in Europe.”
In the last 40 days Roma have lost similar matches against aggressive teams like Udinese, Genoa and Como. Why do you think that is?
“We've played lots of games in these last 40 days, not just the ones you mentioned. We've played Napoli, Juventus, Milan, Cagliari, Cremonese, so you have to consider the whole picture. In some games we've performed better than in others. We've had selection problems due to suspension, injuries and various other factors – not that they're an excuse. Matches like those against Genoa or Como were affected by individual moments. I don't think the team has got its approach wrong. I have few complaints in that regard. We might not have played well in every game, but it's not all about aggressiveness. Tomorrow we have another game and we want to play it to the best of our ability.”
Could Stephan El Shaarawy be the ideal partner for Donyell Malen? Might he start tomorrow?
“You only have to look at our squad. El Shaarawy didn't train at all for 40 days. He spent a few weeks recovering then he played on Sunday and won a penalty. We don't even have [Lorenzo] Venturino available for this one because he's not on the UEFA list. Our attacking options are him, [Lorenzo] Pellegrini and [Bryan] Zaragoza. That's what we've got to play with and everyone is trying to give their all. Now that he's available again, El Shaarawy can play an important role.”
Do you think Bologna's rotation could be a factor, especially if it goes to extra time?
“I'm not scared. We're hardened. We had to play 30 minutes with ten men and it was tough but it will help us be ready for the tempo Bologna play at. Resting doesn't always mean you're in better shape. We'll see tomorrow. It could work in our favour.”
What's it like being the Roma coach at the Olimpico with the fans behind you?
“It's always like that, not just for this match. There might be a little bit more this time because it's do-or-die but the fans' support has always been a huge help for the team. At the start we found it more difficult at home, but then we managed to turn that around and started picking up more results at home. It was an initial problem. Hopefully we can continue as we've been doing until the end of the season.”
What are you expecting from Bologna in this game? Bologna see Roma as favourites. Does that put extra pressure on you?
“Both teams have the same ambition. In Serie A Bologna are a bit behind but they've picked up well recently. They were playing in the Champions League last season. There's not all that much difference: they're two teams of a similar level, as you can see from the matches they've played. We know very well that this is a match like the one we've described up till now.”
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