Gasperini on Roma: Injuries, Systemic Issues, and the Final Push for Champions League

Gian Piero Gasperini provided crucial updates on Roma's injury list ahead of their upcoming match against Inter, remained vague about his own future, and emphasized that the team is "in the final sprint, so let's pedal hard."

The highly anticipated match will kick off at San Siro on Sunday at 19:45 UK time (20:45 CEST).

The team continues to face an injury crisis. Wesley is now sidelined for a month due to a muscular problem sustained with Brazil, joining Manu Kone, Paulo Dybala, Artem Dovbyk, and Evan Ferguson on the treatment table. Gasperini shared some positive news, revealing, "The good news is that Matias Soulé has recovered and trained with the squad." He added that Soulé has been out for a long time but has been looking like himself again over the past week. While Wesley and Koné are not ready for tomorrow's game, both are feeling more positive than after their initial diagnoses. In Wesley's absence, either Devyne Rensch or Kostas Tsimikas could fill in. Angelino is also making progress, though he is not yet fully ready after an extended period of inactivity.

Gasperini's Perspective on Italian Football

With Italy failing to qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time, Gasperini, who recently led Atalanta to Europa League glory, offered his insights. He asserted, "It is certainly not a single issue problem. The entire system isn’t working, yet there are so many kids who play football, so there is talent to choose from. We must all face up to the problem, including on a social level. It’s not cyclical, it’s a structural issue." He stressed that this is far more significant than any individual coach, stating, "I don’t think we’ve suddenly forgotten how to play football in Italy, especially with the glorious past this nation had in the sport. It’s the system."

Roma recently experienced a dip in Serie A, securing only one point from three matches and being knocked out of the Europa League by Bologna. However, they managed to get back on track with a narrow 1-0 victory over Lecce. Gasperini commented, "The team did play well in the last few games, with good fitness levels and mentality, but they didn’t always lead to victories. The two Europa League games with Bologna were not exactly lucky for us." He reiterated, "The fact remains, we are in the final sprint, so let’s tighten up the straps and get pedalling hard. We’re at a stage now where there’s less and less margin for error."

Addressing reports of internal tension between himself and directors Ricky Massara and Claudio Ranieri, Gasperini chose to avoid a direct answer, stating, "We haven’t had recent meetings, as we are concentrated on the league. It’s the final sprint and we are up there, so we have to be totally focused." He added, "Look, we all hope to qualify for the Champions League, above all for the economic boost for the club. We are already working for next season, but it’s evident that the problems of the past are weighing on the directors in the present."

In his first season at the helm, Gasperini aims to establish a distinct footballing philosophy at Roma, one that differs significantly from the club's past. He expressed satisfaction with the current progress, saying, "We’ll see where we are at the end of the season, but for now I can say that I am very pleased with how things are going. I’m happy about the rapport with the squad and that a big part of the fanbase has faith in me. The team always has the priority above everything else." He described his relationship with the club as "honest and open," striving to implement his ideas while meeting the club's demands. "It is a fantastic experience for me, clearly there are also some difficulties, but my objective has always been to improve the team," he affirmed. Gasperini concluded by noting that "Football gives valuable life lessons, it teaches you to lose and to not get ahead of yourself. The most important thing is to always want to keep improving."

Regarding player acquisitions, some summer signings proved so underwhelming they were already released. Gasperini admitted he "certainly expected more" from Bryan Zaragoza, who arrived in January. "We expected him to accelerate, but it’s never easy in January, so we hope he can start now to bring what we know he can to the team," he explained.

When asked if he would remain as Roma's coach next season, Gasperini laughed and responded, "Well I certainly hope so!" He added, "Meanwhile, we’re playing against Inter. Roma are a good team, not to be dismantled, but to be strengthened. I heard some criticism that with this squad we’ll manage at best fifth or sixth place, but watch out, because some might only get 11th or 12th place too."