Roma secured their first win of the Champions League campaign, beating Slovan Bratislava and moving up to 4 points. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini spoke to Sky Sport afterwards, saying the squad has morale and is in good shape. He said: "Undoubtedly, the team has morale and is well. It must not become too complacent, but do the essential things and play with continuity. On certain evenings, like tonight, it can afford to be a bit more precise."
Roma started again straight after the match against Real Madrid and have institutionalised rotation, while the principles remain within the group. Gasperini said: "These are very important answers, the calendar is what it is and we need everyone, when they take part, to live up to what Roma asks. These answers are important, they allow us to move forward with confidence and to widen the pool of potential starters a little for everyone."
Roma now face two away fixtures, against Manchester United and PSG. Gasperini said his only concern is that every time the team plays matches of this type they risk losing a player. "Now we have recovered Cristante and we are losing Pellegrini, in certain areas we are a bit thin. This is the only danger of these matches, which for the rest are tense and exceptional. For us they are an incredible test, and whatever the result you always take away some extra information and have the chance to grow. The Champions League is extraordinary in this. We will face these two games with this spirit."
Asked whether there had been a risk of underestimating the Slovan match, Gasperini said: "It was important to play a serious match from the start, partly for the need of the three points and partly because in the Champions League there are no easy teams to face. There aren't any in the league, let alone in the Champions League. We were good in how we approached the game. We have been rotating many players between matches, and this allows us to have good freshness, or at least not to have too many fatigue excuses. Playing like this is a bit too much, but you also find a better rhythm and condition. There are some players who are in good form, and as long as they are, it is right to let them play."
On Roma creating a lot of chances, Gasperini said: "I hope for a bit of everything. It is not the result of improvisation if you do it for many matches, they are very committed, and you improve through training. With a mental switch you do things you didn't do before, but this is a healthy team, and when it is, the players try to make important plays. There is no limit to this. Technically we could have exploited some situations better, especially in the first half when the situation was more open."
On Pellegrini, Gasperini said: "I don't think it is a serious thing. Although it is a small thing, when it is a muscular problem it takes 20 days, I think it is of that value. Now this week we have one extra day before Napoli, then we have a series of matches every three days. The forward line is fundamental now, in substitutions, in quality, in numbers, so we are facing a series of matches where if we do not recover Dybala quickly, we will really be very few."
Gasperini also praised Daniele Ghilardi, saying: "A pity about the disallowed goal, he had struck it very well. This year, including with Inter, he has delivered increasingly strong performances. He is a young lad who gains confidence by playing and can evolve positively." On Slovan, he said: "An organised side, with speed and dangerous, we did well to stop them being dangerous on the counter-attack. But I liked them, they can grow, they have young players and valid qualities. It was not easy for them."
Asked what he liked most about the two matches after Real Madrid, Gasperini said: "Playing these matches and carrying them forward. There are different matches. In Turkey it was a very difficult environment, then Real and today. There are great values. Now we will go to Manchester, which is a difficult environment, then PSG, who are now the strongest team in the world. From these matches we must always take something that stays with us and helps us improve. I liked the rotation I made, keeping the team competitive. Now we will get Cristante back and that will be important. Everyone played significant spells of the match. Many players played without being overly exhausted."
