Amantino Mancini backs Roma to challenge for the Serie A title under Gasperini

Former Roma player and ex-UEFA vice-president Zibi Boniek has praised Rodrigo Mora's late goal in Roma's win over Cagliari, saying the Portuguese had shown little before and that the strike could boost his confidence. Speaking to Retesport, Boniek also discussed Gianluca Mancini's place in the side, the Lazio team Roma face in the city derby, and the importance of Roma staying focused. Boniek said the match looked over before a late finish from Mora, whom he described as a player with good individual technique whose physique had not helped him. He said: "La partita di ieri sembrava chiusa poi c'è stato un finale targato Mora che mi è piaciuto perché questo ragazzo aveva fatto vedere poco. Il portoghese è un calciatore con una buona tecnica individuale ma la sua struttura fisica non l'aveva aiutato. Spero che questo gol possa fargli aumentare il livello dell'autostima." On Mancini, who has been linked with losing his starting place to Balerdi, Boniek highlighted his attacking contribution. He said: "Quasi quasi è diventato il primo attaccante. Anche nel secondo gol di Pisilli c'è molto di Mancini che ha servito Lulli che ha fatto il cross per Niccolò. Ieri è stato raggirato da Fadera ma non mando in panchina nessuno, è chiaro che se ci sono 20 giocatori di pari livello si deve valutare chi è stanco ma questo Gasperini lo fa molto bene, infatti, poi ha messo Ghilardi e ha passato un pallone determinante a Mora. Mancini è forte nel pressing basso, anticipa gli avversari mentre quando c'è tanto spazio e deve correre può andare in difficoltà perché ha altre caratteristiche." Boniek also spoke about Lazio, who had just beaten Sassuolo, and praised coach Gennaro Gattuso. He said: "Adoro Gattuso perché è una persona vera che non si nasconde e dice quello che pensa: è un allenatore bravo. Se fa troppi punti diventa antipatico (ride ndr). La Lazio gioca bene, ieri l'ho vista con il Sassuolo, è una squadra molto veloce che va sempre in verticale con tante sovrapposizioni e non fa nessun Tiki Taka. Più la Lazio va forte e più la Roma manterrà alto il livello della concentrazione per fare altrettanto bene, vista la rivalità cittadina."

Former Roma player and ex-UEFA vice-president Zibi Boniek praised Rodrigo Mora's late winner in Roma's win over Cagliari, which came after Maldini had put the visitors ahead. Speaking to Retesport, Boniek said the game looked settled before Mora's finish. "The game yesterday seemed closed, then there was a finish from Mora that I liked because this young man had shown little. The Portuguese is a player with good individual technique, but his physical build hadn't helped him. I hope this goal can raise his self-esteem." Boniek said Roma started well but eased off in the second half, believing the result was secure, and conceded the goal from Maldini. He said the immediate response showed that players coming off the bench can make a difference. He singled out Ghilardi, who made a cross and an overlap that Boniek described as outstanding despite having played little. Boniek also noted that Cagliari played with a low block and always kept three forwards ready to counter-attack, making them a difficult side to beat. On the defence, Boniek said the starting back three was Mancini, Ndicka and Hermoso, but argued that Balerdi is a defender of real quality. He praised Gasperini's management of the squad, saying the coach did not leave anyone on the bench without reason and that his rotation was handled well. Boniek also highlighted Pisilli's second goal, which involved Mancini's pass to Lulli and Lulli's cross for Pisilli. On Mancini, he said the defender is strong in the low press and anticipates opponents well, but can struggle when there is a lot of space to cover and he must run. Boniek was also positive about Soulé, a 2003-born player he said is improving under a good coach. "He is also more resistant now, and players grow at 26-27, let alone at his age. I really liked him yesterday." Turning to Lazio, Boniek said he admires Gattuso. "I adore Gattuso because he is a genuine person who doesn't hide and says what he thinks: he is a good coach. If he gets too many points he becomes unpopular (laughs)." He described Lazio as a fast side that attacks vertically with many overlaps and no tiki-taka. He said he had watched them against Sassuolo. "The better Lazio go, the more Roma will keep their concentration high to do equally well, given the city rivalry."

Roman radio pundits were largely focused on Roma after the win over Cagliari, with the debate centring on Mancini's performance, Mora's goal and the fitness of Paulo Dybala. David Rossi of Rete Sport said: “Maybe it was the worst match Mancini has played since he’s been here at Roma. Honestly, after that first half I didn’t think he could come back out, and yet he did.” He added: “In a normal world, you had to take Mancini off after 20 minutes. He wasn’t presentable.” Gianluca Piacentini said Mora's goal had silenced his serial critics, and praised Gasperini for stressing that the points Roma have taken this season, the same number as last season, carry greater weight because they came against Como, Inter, Napoli and Atalanta. Mario Corsi of Tele Radio Stereo defended Mancini against the whistles he received, saying: “Mancini plays as a striker on Gasperini’s orders. You can’t go back and forth at two hundred an hour; you lose something along the way.” On the Roma-Cagliari match, Corsi described it as a lacklustre game, adding that the young players had turned it around. Piero Torri of Manà Manà Sport praised Gollini, who made three important saves, and said he was playing with a concentration he had never shown before, having been given a great opportunity by Svilar’s misfortune. Roberto Pruzzo of Radio Radio said: “Mora? If Gasperini had another substitute, he’d have taken him off after a quarter of an hour. That was my impression.” He also said he was pleased that Pisilli and Lulli had partly sorted out the match, and said: “If you have to compare yourself to the Roma market, my friend… I had backed Castro, but if Mina has you in his pocket for 80 minutes, you need changing.” He added that Molina struggles to play in Italian football, and that De Roon was static in midfield. Nando Orsi of Radio Radio said: “I thought Roma never would lose this one.” Mario Mattioli of Radio Radio said Roma had suffered before taking full points. Daniele Lo Monaco of Radio Romanista said Roma are unbeaten with six wins and three draws, and argued that Lazio’s eight wins from nine carry a different weight. He said: “I don’t see the Leicester effect in any way. If Lazio finish in the top three, I’ll become a priest.” Mario Corsi said Lazio do not have a team fit for the top places, and Torri noted that Lazio have taken 25 points from 27, with fixtures against Roma, Napoli, Inter, Como, Atalanta, Fiorentina and Torino still to come. The focus then turned to the coming fixtures. Alessio Nardo said the Dybala situation was thorny: he had seemed set to return against Cagliari, but now risked missing the next three matches. He said: “I expect a very, very difficult match against Udinese, and it will take a great Roma to win it.” Lorenzo Pes said Dybala had returned to training on Sunday but would miss Saturday’s game against Udinese, adding: “I think he doesn’t want to miss Manchester-Roma at Old Trafford.” Checco Oddo Casano said the doubt for Saturday against Udinese would be between Mora and De Roon, and said the club’s hopes in attack now depend on Soulé.

Former Roma player Zibi Boniek believes Lazio's strong start to the season is helping to keep Roma sharp, given the rivalry between the two Rome clubs. Roma and Lazio are both sitting high in the table after the opening stretch of the league season, something that has not happened for several years. Speaking to 'Rete Sport', Boniek said: "The stronger Lazio go, the more Roma will maintain their level of concentration to do just as well, given the city rivalry." The Polish former player, a Serie A champion with Roma, praised Lazio's head coach Gattuso: "I adore him, because he is a real person who doesn't hide and says what he thinks: he is a good coach. If he gets too many points he becomes unpleasant (laughs)." On Lazio's play, Boniek added: "Lazio play well. I saw them yesterday against Sassuolo. They are a very fast team that always goes vertical with lots of overlaps, and they don't play any tiki-taka." Turning to Roma, Boniek described a match that looked closed before a late goal from Mora, whom he said had shown little before. "The Portuguese is a player with good individual technique, but his physical structure had not helped him. I hope this goal can raise his level of self-esteem." He said Roma started well but slowed in the second half, believing they could hold on, and conceded to Maldini. The immediate response from the giallorossi, he said, shows that players on the bench can make a difference. He praised Ghilardi for a cross and an overlap, despite playing little. Boniek noted that the first-choice defensive trio is Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso, but said that former Verona player Balerdi is a player of real calibre. He asked whether Mancini might move to the bench for Balerdi, adding that he has almost become the first striker. He also said there is much of Mancini in Pisilli's second goal, with Mancini's pass setting up Lulli, whose cross found Niccolò. On the team selection, Boniek said: "Yesterday he was tricked by Fadera, but I am not sending anyone to the bench. Clearly if there are 20 players of equal level, you have to assess who is tired, but Gasperini does this very well. He then brought on Ghilardi, who passed a decisive ball to Mora." Finally, Boniek spoke about Soulé, a 2003-born player: "He is changing. When you train with a good coach, you improve. He is also more resilient now. Players grow at 26-27, let alone at his age. Yesterday I liked him very much."

Roma will not return to Rome after their Serie A trip to Udine, instead travelling straight on to Manchester for their Champions League fixture against Manchester United on 3 November. Roma face Udinese on Saturday 31 October at 18:00. Angelo Mangiante, speaking on Mana Mana Sport, reported that the squad will train in Udine on Sunday morning, before leaving from Trieste airport for Manchester in the afternoon, in order to ease the travel burden of an intense week of league and Champions League matches. The transfer market is also on the agenda. Roma are looking to broaden the options available to head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, and Carlos Forbs, a Portuguese attacking winger born in 2002 who plays for Brugge, is reportedly among the profiles being monitored. Roma have reportedly sent scouts to San Siro to watch Forbs in the match against Inter and assess the player closely. Competition is strong, however, with Tottenham and Manchester United, along with other Premier League clubs, also reportedly interested. Brugge set a valuation of around 30 million euros in the summer, a figure that could still form the basis of any negotiation. Gasperini was also remembered in a tribute to the late journalist Mario Sconcerti, at the second edition of the award dedicated to him, held at the Salone d'Onore of the CONI in Rome and aimed at younger generations. Gasperini sent a video message to the students present, highlighting the value of Sconcerti's professional legacy: "A warning about what his profession was, his capacity. It is a lesson that will stay with you in your future profession." Following Roma's recent match against Cagliari, Marcacci spoke on Radio Radio: "Mora was good: full credit to him, for taking advantage of the defender's mistake from Cagliari. We will remember Mora's goal at the end of the season, because it came at a moment when Cagliari had more energy in the tank. Gasp's rebukes started from the first minutes: he sensed the match would be difficult, and Roma suffered against Cagliari. Mancini struggled and leaves too much space behind him. A note of credit for the crowd, who were involved; the team needed that push." Pedrelli, on Radio Bruno Roma, added: "With Lulli and Pisilli the future is already here. I wish Mora and Ghilardi more space. Well done also to Gollini. What a Roma this is, who keep trying until the end. No one excluded."

Former Roma player and ex-UEFA vice-president Zibi Boniek has praised Rodrigo Mora's late goal in Roma's win over Cagliari, saying the Portuguese had shown little before and that the strike could boost his confidence. Speaking to Retesport, Boniek also discussed Gianluca Mancini's place in the side, the Lazio team Roma face in the city derby, and the importance of Roma staying focused. Boniek said the match looked over before a late finish from Mora, whom he described as a player with good individual technique whose physique had not helped him. He said: "La partita di ieri sembrava chiusa poi c'è stato un finale targato Mora che mi è piaciuto perché questo ragazzo aveva fatto vedere poco. Il portoghese è un calciatore con una buona tecnica individuale ma la sua struttura fisica non l'aveva aiutato. Spero che questo gol possa fargli aumentare il livello dell'autostima." On Mancini, who has been linked with losing his starting place to Balerdi, Boniek highlighted his attacking contribution. He said: "Quasi quasi è diventato il primo attaccante. Anche nel secondo gol di Pisilli c'è molto di Mancini che ha servito Lulli che ha fatto il cross per Niccolò. Ieri è stato raggirato da Fadera ma non mando in panchina nessuno, è chiaro che se ci sono 20 giocatori di pari livello si deve valutare chi è stanco ma questo Gasperini lo fa molto bene, infatti, poi ha messo Ghilardi e ha passato un pallone determinante a Mora. Mancini è forte nel pressing basso, anticipa gli avversari mentre quando c'è tanto spazio e deve correre può andare in difficoltà perché ha altre caratteristiche." Boniek also spoke about Lazio, who had just beaten Sassuolo, and praised coach Gennaro Gattuso. He said: "Adoro Gattuso perché è una persona vera che non si nasconde e dice quello che pensa: è un allenatore bravo. Se fa troppi punti diventa antipatico (ride ndr). La Lazio gioca bene, ieri l'ho vista con il Sassuolo, è una squadra molto veloce che va sempre in verticale con tante sovrapposizioni e non fa nessun Tiki Taka. Più la Lazio va forte e più la Roma manterrà alto il livello della concentrazione per fare altrettanto bene, vista la rivalità cittadina."