Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini expressed satisfaction with the team's first victory in the Champions League against Slovan Bratislava, but did not hide his concern about the latest health problem of captain Lorenzo Pellegrini. The match against Slovan Bratislava was a must-win and the "wolves" achieved a convincing 4-0 success. Despite the categorical result, Gasperini insists on even higher demands on his squad.
„The team is undoubtedly in good shape, but it should not rest on its laurels. We have to show consistency in the basic elements of the game, and on nights like this we have to be even more precise“, said Gasperini.
The goal difference could be decisive for the final ranking in the main phase of the tournament, and the meeting with an opponent previously defeated 1:6 by Paris Saint-Germain was an excellent opportunity to improve our performance.
“It was extremely important to approach it correctly from the very beginning, both because of the need for the three points and because of the fact that there are no easy matches in the Champions League. I liked the way we played, and thanks to the rotations we had no excuse for accumulated fatigue“, added the specialist.
The coach of the “Giallorossi“ resorted to changes in the lineup due to personnel problems, but at the beginning of the second half also lost captain Pellegrini due to a muscle injury.
„I saw very important responses from the players. The program is extremely tight and I need everyone to be at the level. This allows us to look forward with confidence and expands the circle of potential starters. My only concern is that just when Brian Cristante returned to the bench, we risk losing Pellegrini for a while“, continued Gasperini.
Roma is gaining more and more confidence, but the next tests for the team in the tournament look extremely tough — visits to Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are coming up.
„These are incredible tests that give us the opportunity to grow even more. It is with this attitude that we will approach these matches“, concluded the coach.