Roma beat Genoa in their Serie A seventh-round fixture at the Stadio Olimpico, and Gian Piero Gasperini praised the whole squad after the result. Castro's chipped goal was the highlight, and Lulli also scored his first goal for the club. Gasperini said: "Stasera non era facile, il Genoa per noi è stato difficile per prendergli le misure soprattutto nel primo tempo, con una squadra giovanissima in campo. Però sono stati bravi veramente tanto, tutti, vincendo una partita che conta molto." Translated: "Tonight was not easy. Genoa were hard for us to read, especially in the first half, with a very young team on the pitch. But they were really good, all of them, winning a match that counts for a lot."
The win came after a difficult week. Roma had lost to Real Madrid on Wednesday, conceding three goals in seven minutes. Gasperini made seven changes for the Genoa game, and he said the response was no surprise. He said: "Non avevo dubbi su questo, il gruppo è straordinario a livello caratteriale ma non era assolutamente facile. L'abbiamo sbloccata con una giocata straordinaria, l'avevo percepita dalla panchina, ma rivedendola è ancora più bella. Il secondo tempo è stato di valore. Nel primo eravamo in difficoltà sulle palle lunghe non facili da gestire, poi siamo venuti fuori." Translated: "I had no doubts about this, the group is extraordinary in character, but it was not easy at all. We unlocked it with an extraordinary move. I sensed it from the bench, but seeing it again it's even more beautiful. The second half was of real quality. In the first we struggled with long balls that were hard to handle, then we came out of it."
On Roma's attacking form, Gasperini compared the current side with the one of a year ago, when the team had won 1-0 at this stage. Roma have kept the same number of goals conceded, three, but have scored 17 against 6 previously. Gasperini said: "Non era facile, l'anno scorso ero appena arrivato. Abbiamo fatto un bel po' di strada nel frattempo, Dybala c'era saltuariamente e non c'era Malen, ora abbiamo conoscenze maggiori, tante partite, 15 mesi, tante prestazioni e soddisfazioni. Sicuramente abbiamo una facilità realizzativa che non avevamo l'anno scorso. Poi i nostri gol sono generalmente di ottima qualità, come stasera, anche le occasioni, vedi Mora che ha sfiorato il gol di testa pur non essendo un gigante. Abbiamo assimilato molte situazioni e possibilità di arrivare in gol." Translated: "It wasn't easy, I had only just arrived last year. We've come a long way since then. Dybala was there only occasionally and Malen wasn't here. Now we have greater familiarity, many matches, 15 months, many performances and satisfactions. We certainly have a scoring ease that we didn't have last year. Our goals are generally of excellent quality, as tonight, and so are the chances, like Mora who came close to scoring with a header despite not being a giant. We have absorbed many situations and opportunities to score."
Gasperini was also asked about the Real Madrid defeat. He said: "Entrambe, perdere in quella maniera è stato devastante, era stata una prestazione di assoluto valore, strameritata nel risultato e le occasioni. Ce la siamo complicata in 5 minuti, forse 6-7 con 3 angoli, che non erano frutto di niente, solo un po' di pressione di una squadra che era in difficoltà e non ci aveva creato problemi, anzi noi ne avevamo creati ancora." Translated: "Both, losing in that way was devastating. It had been a performance of absolute value, thoroughly deserved in the result and the chances. We complicated it for ourselves in 5 minutes, maybe 6-7, with 3 corners, which came from nothing, just a bit of pressure from a team that was struggling and had not created problems for us, when in fact we had created more." He added that he had rotated heavily because the younger players had spent the Real Madrid match on the bench, and that Balerdi, Lulli and Rensch needed a full game. De Roon had played a lot, Mora and Castro would have played anyway, and Soulé was excellent. On Lulli, Gasperini said: "Sono felicissimo per lui, sta emergendo e poi è un ragazzo straordinario. Abbiamo lavorato sul chiudere sul secondo palo, e stasera ci è arrivato." Translated: "I'm delighted for him, he is emerging and he is an extraordinary boy. We worked on closing down the second post, and tonight it came off."
On Castro, asked whether he could replace Malen in other circumstances, Gasperini said: "Assolutamente si, ci possono essere anche delle occasioni dove possono giocare insieme. È un ragazzo sul quale ho sempre contato tanto, siamo sempre stati convinti di lui. Ha grandi margini, ha dei colpi straordinari. Ci darà una grande mano." Translated: "Absolutely yes, there can also be occasions where they can play together. He is a boy I have always counted on a lot, we have always been convinced of him. He has great potential, he has extraordinary skills. He will give us a big hand." He described Castro as a centre-forward: "Lui è un centravanti, nel primo tempo è stato troppo statico, il secondo è di valore. È forte di testa, ha tiro, ha delle doti importanti, deve solo applicarsi e lavorare ma è assolutamente un attaccante." Translated: "He is a centre-forward. In the first half he was too static, the second was of quality. He is strong in the air, he has a shot, he has important qualities, he just needs to apply himself and work, but he is absolutely a striker."
Gasperini also gave an update on Paulo Dybala, saying: "Spero per Napoli, sono abbastanza fiducioso. Se riuscissi a portarlo con lo Slovan sarebbe importante, vediamo." Translated: "I hope for Napoli, I am fairly confident. If I could bring him for Slovan it would be important, we'll see." On Koulierakis, he said: "Per me ha fatto una buona gara, non è facile contro Messias. Non è velocissimo ma si muove bene. E' solido e ci può dare un aiuto." Translated: "For me he had a good game, it is not easy against Messias. He is not very quick but he moves well. He is solid and he can help us." Koulierakis had been out for 10 days after an injury sustained with Greece, but is now fit and back in the normal rotation, Gasperini added.
