There are now around 24 hours until the big game kicks off between Roma and Juventus at the Stadio Olimpico.
Gasperini’s side have a rare chance: a win would move the Bianconeri seven points behind and take a big step towards qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
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The Piedmont coach said this at the usual pre-match press conference in Trigoria: “Despite our different characteristics and situations, we all strive to achieve results through the play of our teams. This has always been our characteristic; this is an important aspect for us and I believe that tomorrow will also be a game between two teams that strive for results by delivering high-quality games that leave almost no guesswork.”
“Both will try to get a result and win the game. Today we will test Dybala: he is much better than yesterday, but his condition still needs to be assessed. We will see today.”
Gasperini then talked about the lack of wins in big matches: “We recently drew with Napoli and Milan and unfortunately we lost the first leg. We’ll see tomorrow. In other games, like against Como, who are not far behind us, or against Bologna, we don’t always lose, otherwise we wouldn’t be in this position in the table.”
“Obviously, maybe we’ll miss out on a win against these teams that are so close to us, but we shouldn’t be thinking about that tomorrow. We need to think about how we interpret the game because these types of games are usually balanced on an individual and team level.”
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“Sometimes the smallest details end up changing the outcome.”
The former Atalanta coach continued: “In the first leg, we were a little weak, especially defensively; we were missing some players. But we played well, as if Juventus had played a good game. The game was balanced until the end; there was even a moment where we hoped for a result.”
“Tomorrow will be a game of a different moment. Indeed, compared to the end of December, we had a very difficult January because of injuries; we were often in a state of emergency. We were a bit fitful, with a few wins and a few defeats. Now we are entering an important period of consistency and trying to get a winning streak. In this period, you can distance yourself in the table and that’s what we have to try to do.”
Regarding Sule, Gasperini said: “We are evaluating Sule bit by bit. It’s not just this week; we hope that next week will be better and that he can rejoin the team and at least start regular training again. These four points are important for Roma’s progress, but they are not decisive for the final result.”
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“I believe this will be a game that ultimately decides the winner. We need results to stay in the relegation zone, but as I said before, we want to be able to give it our all on the final Sunday because it means we are in contention. It is unthinkable that a team can soar and decide the title so far in advance.”
On the gap with European football: “This is a very broad discussion and we certainly can’t do that today. But we need to acknowledge and realize the reality that this is not only about cup competitions but also about national teams. It is a fairly broad problem that needs to be solved. The problem may not be single, otherwise it might be easy to solve. It is a combination of circumstances that lead to our less competitiveness in Europe. Maybe other countries are also to blame: what Norway is doing, for example, shows that we also need to be able to recognize the strengths of our opponents.”
Fourth place through the league or fourth place by winning the Europa League? Gasperini responded: “It is difficult to make such predictions. Now, we have to stay in the thick of everything. Three months seems to be a short time, but it is actually a long time. We have to try to stay competitive in the league, achieve the best results and stay in the Europa League. When the key games come, whether it is against Both for the league and for Europe, we need to be ready and be as prepared as possible. There are many variables: you think you will get players back, but actually you will lose the game. “They, both in the league and in Europe, have some players, like Ferguson or Arena, who are not on the team list. “
“Now we have to think game by game and try to get the most out of every game. Juventus is an incredible training ground. I spent ten years as a youngster in the academy and then another ten years as a youth coach, plus another ten years in the youth team Five years. It was a huge education for me personally and football-wise. It was a great football club and it gave me the opportunity to grow and see teams and players all over Europe. It helped me a lot in my career.”
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On possible formation changes: “Everything is possible. Being able to use it in games, not just in training, gives you more confidence. The fact that things are going well gives you experience, experience, so you can transition from one situation to another more easily. For players, these are things that have been tried Tried situations and got results. Obviously, a lot depends on the game, the opponent and the squad we have. We have a lot of midfield players who are performing well and we may be lacking a little bit. “But on the offensive side, that experience will help us and will be useful to us in the final stage of the season. “
Gasperini then spoke about a possible Champions League quota: “Generally speaking, you always need to get more than 70 points, 72 or 73 points. I don’t remember exactly how many points we needed last year, but usually you need more than 70 points. The feeling is that this year we may need more points, but it is difficult to say because it will take Depends on the performance of the teams involved. Last year there were a lot of teams: Roma, Milan, Lazio, and many more. Then this year, Bologna will probably drop earlier, Lazio will drop earlier, and I don’t know, and as I said, it will be crucial who can win in a row: they can create a significant advantage.”
Regarding the travel ban, the coach commented: “The ban on following the team was discussed a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, it ended up hurting the enthusiasm of thousands of people who wanted to follow the team. This happened in Italy, maybe differently in Europe. I don’t have a clear opinion on the interpretation of the rules; we There will be a clear answer next week. We all hope that these restrictions will end and people will be free to follow the team with the same enthusiasm as if they were not at home. This is part of football and having the opportunity to support your team and experience the city where they play is what we all want.”
The Roma coach responded to a question about Atalanta players struggling to establish themselves elsewhere: “It’s not always the case. In my opinion, I found stronger players than when I was younger at Atalanta. I can’t always explain why they didn’t perform at their best in other situations, even though Kupmenas recently scored two goals in the Champions League. I can say that Kupmenas is a strong player, that’s for sure. Why he might have failed? I don’t know if he lived up to the initial expectations, but he was a very strong player at Atalanta.”
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Roma will face Bologna in the last 16 of the Europa League. Gasperini commented: “I think the first leg is very important in these types of games because this is where you can build a small advantage in qualifying. A draw over two legs is unique and different from the league: the margin is smaller and the comeback is more difficult. That’s why the first leg is immediately important “When you get to a certain point, it’s normal to go into the group stage against teams that are better and better than them, because they are two Italian teams that could have advanced and moved up the rankings, but in this game you have to overcome big obstacles to be confident and ambitious all the way.”
