Gasperini previews Derby della Capitale | OneFootball

Gian Piero Gasperini spoke at a press conference on the eve of the derby.

The coach addressed the poor organization surrounding the date and time of the derby and the matches for fourth place: “Clearly, we’re motivated by this race for fourth place, and we’re the least likely to comment on the chaos surrounding the timetable, because we could have played at any time. It wasn’t a great demonstration of planning, and above all, it’s disappointing for the fans.”

Regarding Dybala’s contract renewal and his condition, the Grugliasco coach said: “The important thing is that both sides, the owners and the player, have this idea. I find it very positive; when there’s a desire on both sides, a solution can be found. He hasn’t been there often this season; that’s just how it went. Now he’s fine and has no problems with his fitness.”

Regarding Lazio, fresh from their Coppa Italia final defeat, Gasperini has no doubts: “Lazio are an excellent team, their only motivation is to thwart Roma, and we have stronger reasons. I expect a real match; we can’t expect them to have extraordinary morale, but they’ll do everything they can to ruin our situation.”

The coach commented on his role in the Giallorossi project: “The club is at the heart of the Roma project; it’s very broad and comprehensive, starting with the stadium and looking to the future. I’m in charge of the technical side, and my responsibilities are limited to building the best possible team and improving it to achieve the best possible goals. The presence of the owners is crucial; everything works better. There’s the possibility of having direct relationships without intermediaries, fewer things are reported, and decisions with the owners are quick. I hope Ryan can build a relationship with these players who are giving their all for this club, regardless of their future.”

Regarding the fact that certain players can be more decisive than others, Gasperini said: “I think that some players, in all teams, if they’re born and raised there, feel it differently once they play in derbies. Perhaps a player arriving from outside isn’t familiar with certain dynamics. Sometimes for these reasons, they don’t perform well, and others excel; for example, Pellegrini often does well in derbies. Lorenzo is coming back from an injury; if he’s fit, I’ll count on him.”

The coach also commented on the very open race for fourth place and the future: “We know that if we win tomorrow, we’re close to reaching our goal. We’ll have to focus only on ourselves and give it our all. Right now, the league is what matters. We’re mathematically guaranteed a spot in the Europa League, and that’s a good achievement. We’ve left Atalanta, Bologna, and Lazio behind. We’re level on points with Milan, close to Juventus and Napoli, and we feel we’ve achieved a good result. However, we must always try to improve. I always thought that third or fourth place would be decided in the end; thinking that second place could be so close was just not an idea.”

Gasperini also spoke about the importance of the club’s presence: “The owners are here to manage the expiring contracts. It could have been a problem for the second half of the season, but the fact that they’re still focused on the season is a great sign of professionalism. I’ve already spoken to El Shaarawy; I’ll tell him that there are still two games left, so he’ll have to stay focused.”

Regarding the importance of the Champions League, the coach said: “Achieving fourth place doesn’t make much difference to me, but I realize that the club is in a huge technical hole. I repeat, I’ve had a great response from the team. It’s been an extraordinary experience, and I hope it ends with a result that exceeds expectations.”

A year ago, fans displayed a banner protesting Gasperini’s possible arrival in the capital; now he’s being cheered. The coach commented on this: “A year ago, they didn’t want me, but I’d like to send that message post-match. I’m beyond grateful; it wasn’t easy to gain credibility from the fans, and from that perspective, it’s been a great season.”

Gasperini expressed little optimism about Dovbyk’s possible return: “Dovbyk is finally back. He’s started again, and it’s a pleasure to see him on the pitch. It’s disappointing to see players sidelined for long periods of time; they work for months and months with their physiotherapists to recover. It’s not easy to imagine him playing tomorrow; he’s been out for a long time. The fact that he’s back playing football is very positive.”