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Here is what the Roma coach had to say.
Do you see any similarities between this game and the one against Real Madrid?
“No, I believe this was a different game. Against Real Madrid, it all happened in a matter of minutes from corner kicks. There were no clear signs, unlike what I saw tonight. After the penalty, we were unable to keep up with them.”
Roma conceded two goals just a few minutes apart from one another. Maybe the problem is how you manage being ahead? Is it a coincidence that the same thing happened against Real Madrid?
“It’s not a matter of coincidences. Tonight we didn’t find the energy we needed to push hard against their forwards in the second half. And apart from that, we conceded two unfortunate goals: the first on that penalty that was retaken, while the second following an unfortunate situation. Maybe it happened when the game was once again balanced. Because it’s perfectly normal for a team to have those 15 or 20 minutes of suffering against Manchester United, and if you manage to push through, you might even win.”
Is this defeat also part of your journey or does it hurt a bit more than the one against Real Madrid? And did you need a more experienced player like Nahuel Molina for a game like tonight’s?
“He could’ve played, sure. He’s an experienced player. However, tonight [Devyne] Rensch got off to a very good start, but then he got injured. I brought on [Emanuele] Lulli and I couldn’t make other changes. Wesley played an excellent game in the defensive phase. About tonight’s game, we need to learn something that will help us in the future.”
You played an amazing first half and dominated. You could’ve even scored a third goal. In the second half, however, they made some tactical changes, they pressed you harder and didn’t let you play. You were a different team and lacked the personality of the first half. Why?
“They made some changes as they had nothing left to lose, so they started pressing high, but that wasn’t it. That was only natural. Maybe we should’ve played differently, by making the most of long balls and keeping them away from our half of the pitch. Essentially, we couldn't stick to our markers anymore, so they pinned us down with their pressing. They wouldn’t let us play or attack. This created some problems for us. From a competitive point of view, we maybe should’ve resorted to disrupting their rhythm, and a few more tackles. We were a bit overwhelmed by their momentum, which of course grew after the penalty and their 2-2 equaliser. And that prevented us from securing the win.”
A good takeaway for Roma is this: stop the bleeding. After the penalty, Manchester United hit the post twice and their third goal came right after the 2-2 equaliser.
“There may be a bit of a psychological drop, some disappointment: you see victory slip away as you were about to win against Real Madrid. This team perhaps need to stop feeling the pressure of having to win at all costs. Tonight’s game has taught us more than all the others.”
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