Tickets
Shop
Here’s what the coach had to say.
Why did you go for Marten De Roon, who you know very well? Is there a story behind the signing, given that he’s only just got off the plane? As for the match, have you got everyone back apart from Lorenzo Pellegrini and Devyne Rensch?
“Yes, apart from Pellegrini and Rensch, although the latter will return to full training on Tuesday. The former will also start training with the group next week. The De Roon deal came together very quickly, within 24 to 48 hours. After so many years at Atalanta, he found himself in a situation where he maybe was no longer part of the club’s plans and this opportunity arose. I got in touch with Luca Percassi and, in a very short space of time, they gave me the freedom to make the decision, also because of everything the player has done for them at Atalanta over the years. We’re certainly grateful to them for that. He really wanted to come to Roma. For us, it is an opportunity because it allows us to give an opportunity to [Neil] El Aynaoui, who wanted to embark on another experience, perhaps somewhere he could feel more valued, meaning we also needed to bring in someone else in that position.
“From an economic point of view too, it’s a significant decision for us because it gives us the scope to invest in another position as well. At the same time, we’re filling a midfield spot with a player who’s certainly in good physical condition. He’s no spring chicken for a footballer, but he’s joining a really strong group that wants to be at the forefront. Two captains have arrived: him and [Leonardo] Balerdi. I think we’ve made a major physical improvement in this respect. This team, which certainly has talent, also needs a bit of physicality and personality. He’s also Dutch like Malen, he’s an international and he’ll certainly help balance out all these Argentinians, who are starting to grow in numbers. We need to create a bit of a Dutch group too. I’m happy. I think we’re really solid in this respect.”
What can Leonardo Balerdi add? And are you expecting the cherry on the cake in attack in the final days of the transfer window?
“Balerdi’s a bit like what I said about De Roon. He’s still relatively young, perhaps in the prime of his career. Clearly, he gives us another important opportunity to strengthen a very strong defensive department, with players who’ve done extremely well. We all know, however, that we’ve got a really demanding schedule this year, with a lot of games. We need to keep doing what we’ve been trying to do so far: complete the squad rather than just make it bigger. We’ve invested a lot in the squad to make it more competitive and to help us cope with the number of games we’ll have to play and, hopefully not, any injuries, which can always happen in football. We need at least one more player to complete the squad.
“I think the one area we’re still missing a little something in is on the left, so that’s the last piece we need to complete in attack. I’ve got to say that [Emanuele] Lulli has certainly helped us in that area. I’ve always believed in this lad and he’s showing us what he can do, but we can’t put too much responsibility on his shoulders either. Last year, we started with Angelino in that position and he didn’t play at the beginning. Lulli’s performances in pre-season and in the league have certainly given us plenty of encouragement for the future. Obviously, we also have to think about the schedule and, in any case, we can still look to add another player in attack.”
How strong is this team when it comes to competing for major objectives or is something still missing?
“As always, you also have to assess that by looking at the opponents and who you’re going to be up against because the other teams are strengthening significantly too, and they’re spending a lot of money in the process. If we just look at ourselves, we’re certainly a team with more options, probably more strength and the ability to cope with the number of games we’re going to play. Honestly, I always look at my own team and I’m very happy with my players, including those who’ve arrived. I think we can build on our performances and results from last year and improve further.
“Obviously, the club has been affected by the financial fair play regulations and has had to reduce the wage bill. There were certain players we wanted to sign who perhaps could’ve made us even stronger, but we weren’t able to bring them in because of the contracts involved rather than the transfer fees. The club was willing to do it too, but the wages couldn’t go beyond certain limits. We have to accept that there were some players we simply couldn’t sign. We’ll rely on all the players who’ve come back because they wanted to play for Roma. There’s brilliant team spirit here and it’s something you can’t buy on the transfer market. It’s something you have to develop within yourself. In that respect, we’re certainly among the very best, if not the very best. Then there’s the pitch and the opponents, and I don’t know what they’ll do. As far as we’re concerned, however, and looking only at ourselves, I’m very satisfied and I have to thank all these players.”
Is Matias Soule at the centre of transfer discussions? And will he be available tomorrow?
“I respect everything and I read everything, although I don’t read much, but I hear everything. I’ve not heard about any offers for Soule. There’s not been one throughout the summer, either for him or for any of the other players who’ve been talked about. Soule will probably play tomorrow. As for all the reports, I follow those too, but I can assure you there’s never been a concrete offer. That doesn’t mean the agents aren’t making moves, doing things, talking and so on, but there’s not been anything concrete and, at least as far as I’m concerned, there’s never been any indication from him that he’s thinking differently either.”
Last season you said your goal was Champions League qualification and that wasn’t what the owners had asked of you. What’s the goal this year? And above all, has it been agreed with the owners?
“To be honest, we haven’t had time yet. The season has only just started. The transfer window will finally close on Tuesday and we’ll finally be able to just talk about football. I keep saying, and I do so every year now, that the dates are completely wrong. They don’t help anyone and no one wants them. I don’t know why we continue to have this transfer window when the season has only just started. It doesn’t seem to me that anyone – neither those high up, nor the fans, nor the general public – is happy with these dates.”
Are you expecting a left-footed full-back to arrive, and on that note, is there a chance Soule could play in that position?
“The idea was to sign a left-footed full-back. Then there were also some very promising options that we were unable to take forward or finalise. They were well advanced and could have been closed. It is unusual to have more right-footed players, but it is also unusual that Wesley has adapted so well on the left. [Nahuel] Molina can do it very well too. In my view, just as strikers often play on their weaker foot, it’s not out of the question that full-backs could do the same. So that could be a possible solution. At the start of the season, the plan was to sign a left-footed player. Then there were some significant opportunities, but in the end, it didn’t work out. Soule has done it. I prefer him further forward, but if necessary, he could be a solution.”
How’s Molina?
“Better, a lot better. He had a great week of training but it’s just a question of him finding his fitness again. He played the final of the World Cup, so it’s just about getting back into it, but he’s definitely been doing well this week. I think he’ll play part of the match against Lecce. I don’t know if he’ll start or if he’ll be subbed on, but he’s able to play now.”
De Roon arrived this morning and he’s the first player over 30 that Roma has bought since you’ve been here. I wanted to ask, have your goals changed? And have you spoken about the fans? Because Roma fans were not particularly fond of De Roon after some comments he made in the past.
"It’s normal when you’re opponents. But then, once you get to know him, you’ll realise he’s a very solid player, physically strong. I’ve said it before, I’ve explained the deal, how it came about, and it gives us an opportunity to have a valuable player. Clearly, he’s not a player who’ll make an immediate impact, but he also gives us the chance to focus our efforts on another position, whilst still maintaining a strong presence in midfield. Because, as I said before, we’ve signed some leaders. This team also needed a bit of that: the talent provided by Soule, Mora, Dybala, Castro and Malen seems to me to be fairly well covered. That’s how this deal came about, partly because when I arrived, I wasn’t any further ahead in that regard. Then you see how things develop. He’s also someone who’s entertaining on social media. He’s a great person.”
Your thoughts on the Champions League draw?
“We’ll see about that by playing. There are lots of games and we’ve got a good group with some high-level matches. We’ll go and play away in some tough stadiums, not just in Paris but also in Istanbul, Athens and Manchester. That’s the Champions League for you. In terms of results and qualifying, it’s obviously very difficult to finish in the top eight, for everyone. The aim is to stay in it and reach the playoffs. However, aside from results, what will be nice for us is to breathe the Champions League air in these stadiums and playing these amazing matches at home against Real Madrid and all the other teams that will come here. It’ll be a great season and I think it will really be beneficial for the squad. Playing these types of games gives you dimension. You come up against the top teams in Europe. That should be something that we keep with us in the league as well. It’ll help us grow and keep getting better.”
With El Aynaoui out and De Roon in, do you think Roma have improved in midfield? And whilst I’m at it, I’d like to ask you what went wrong with the Moroccan midfielder.
“In my view, El Aynaoui did very well up until December, then he had to play in the Africa Cup of Nations. When he came back, he suffered and struggled a bit. Perhaps even after the World Cup, expectations became too high. However, I’ve seen extraordinary progress from [Niccolo] Pisilli, consistency from [Bryan] Cristante and strength from [Manu] Kone. I got the feeling that perhaps he wanted a different experience. And since, at the moment, everyone in the squad is very happy to be playing for Roma, we’ve tried to address the situation, strengthen the squad and make changes. This opportunity arose. There were other significant options on the transfer market – some very strong and viable ones – but, as I’ve already explained, they weren’t straightforward to pursue. This is an excellent solution, which also allows us to do other things.”
As for the attacking element, will the fact that he’s right-footed or left-footed be a deciding factor? And on Pellegrini, briefly: could he also be an option in the central midfield pairing?
“Of course, Pellegrini could also be an option in midfield. Absolutely. As for whether a player is right-footed or left-footed, for me it’s never been that decisive. What matters more is the player as a whole. I don’t think it’s that crucial when it comes to a player’s versatility. As I’ve already said about Wesley, Molina and other players, there have been plenty of right-footed players who’ve played on the left. In the past, there were many more right-footed players than left-footed ones, and people adapted much more. So the important thing is to sign a good player. If we could sign two, that would be an ideal outcome. I don’t know if it’ll be possible, but that’s always what I’ve asked for: a full-back and a winger. Also, if we sign two, we’ll have 21 players in the squad plus the goalkeepers. If we sign one, we’ll have 20. Then, of course, we’ll add him, but this isn’t a big squad. It’s a squad that fluctuates between 21 and 20 players. So the number is always the same. It’s never changed. Now let’s see what we can do in these last two days.”
What is the biggest challenge in the match against Lecce?
“Lecce will be playing in a packed stadium, full of enthusiasm, with a team that has won away from home and is therefore in high spirits following their start to the season. Serie A matches are all very tough. You come up against teams that run a lot, so fitness will be crucial, and you’re facing a match that’s complicated and difficult in any case. What’s more, it’s a fixture made even more unpredictable by the current transfer window situation, which closes on Tuesday. We’ll need to be very good at keeping consistency in our performance. I’m talking about performance even before I mention the result. The performance we put in against Fiorentina, because regardless of Fiorentina’s problems – which were also evident yesterday – Roma’s performance was one of the highest calibre.”
.
..
