Gasperini discusses Cristante injury, Kone’s future and more | OneFootball

Gian Piero Gasperini spoke to Sky Sport from Cascina Gilli and discussed his passion for wine and nature.

“It’s a special place for me, an area whose hills I’ve always appreciated, and it’s my haven of peace. I come here to recharge and reconnect with nature, also taking advantage of my son’s passion.”

Gasperini then went on to discuss the birth of “3-4-3,” the new wine launched by his son Davide: “This wine was born from my journey as a footballer and coach. A new passion that has entered the family. We thought of this name, the 3-4-3, which is the formation that has accompanied me throughout my career.”

Returning to the pitch, the coach focused on the squad’s work during the break: “We couldn’t play friendlies, we had a limited squad, so we thought we’d give continuity to the work. A few years ago, we had the World Cup, but that was a much longer break and it was a competition like the World Cup. This was something new. There’s no great satisfaction in this; it’s just how it is now. The management will take care of it.” On Soulé: “He was also good in the first half of last year, then he suffered from pubalgia. He underwent treatment over the summer but arrived at the training camp overweight. He’s had an excellent start, he made his debut for the Argentina national team, and when I see a player make his debut, it’s a reward for the whole team.”

On Cristante’s condition: “He’s recovering, but it takes time. We won’t risk anything. The goal is to get him back to full fitness, even if he misses one or two more games.”

On the busy schedule: “The five substitutions help a little. Four are made significantly, one is a reserve. The energy expenditure is significant. Management is a little less complicated for coaches; you have the opportunity to make the most of the entire squad. All players have the hope of playing more matches. The downside is injuries, which have always happened in football and have no scientific explanation. You can expand squads, but the injury problem remains.”

On the transfer market: “It’s not easy; strikers are the most sought-after on the market and the most expensive to acquire; those who have them are unlikely to part with them. We have a good department; that left striker position in particular has always been covered to some extent.”

On the failed sale of Koné: “It wasn’t feasible. Manu said something was done, but nothing happened: there wasn’t even time to make the transfer. I’m happy it went this way; he’ll have every opportunity to increase his value and grow.”

The Roma coach then focused on his relationship with the owners: “The Percassi family was present every day, a close relationship that in some ways went beyond work. That doesn’t happen with the Friedkin family, but I always feel their trust and support, even if they rarely come to Rome. Now they’ve brought in Galantic, who certainly acts as a slightly closer link between them and Roma. My goal remains clear: to involve them more, but not for myself, but for them and the fans. Being able to foster a bit more rapport ahead of the Centenary is a goal.”

On Dybala and Molina’s failure to leave for Messi’s final match against Argentina: “We’re too close to the Como game; sending them would have meant making them fly for hours right before the game, and the club preferred not to let them go.”

On Mourinho: “José is special. Special people manage to achieve special successes, beyond those on the pitch where he won the Conference and reached the Europa League final, perhaps less so in the league. He was a person appreciated by a large portion of the fans, which means he has something special.”

Finally, on Malen and Dybala’s stay at Trigoria during the international break: “They stayed, but there were only a few of us. Malen has recovered from a physical problem and Dybala is continuing to train. I’m very happy for him; you can see that he’s happy when he plays: he’s eager to play and enthusiastic.”