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Here's what the coach had to say:
The first half was great to watch, the second half more subdued, but their goalkeeper was the best player on the pitch.
“[Marco] Carnesecchi did really well on more than one occasion – as did [Mile] Svilar, one time in particular. We tried harder to win it than Atalanta. The first half was more of a spectacle, then in the second half fatigue began to set in and we misplaced a few too many passes.”
What more do Roma need to win these head-to-heads?
“There have been times, like against Juve and Napoli, when we were in front. We played really well against Milan. It's true that we lost in Como but we were down to ten men. With the others we never lost. We had that game against Inter but in these head-to-heads we've always done well. We've always been closer to winning them. Sometimes it comes down to small details.”
Why do you think the team has conceded more goals in the second half of the season?
“Up until December we were able to field a regular line-up which gave us defensive solidity. When [Donyell] Malen joined, we improved in attack but we lost a few players and it was difficult to maintain the incredible defensive record we had.”
Will the owners have to choose between you and Claudio Ranieri at the end of the season?
“I've been caught up in this situation. People have been talking about nothing else for the past week. I've never responded and I'm not going to. I don't think it's nice for the people who came to the stadium. We have another five games to play and we're fighting to reach our targets. I think this team has done very well if we're still four points ahead of Atalanta. I'm focused on this. We must finish the season well. It's been an amazing experience for me. I came in amidst scepticism and a bit of rivalry that had built up in recent years. I'm grateful to my players for always following my ideas and to the fans for everything they've shown me so far. We'll deal with what's going to happen in a month's time at the end of the season.”
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