Gasperini ‘never doubted’ Roma’s mentality, a ‘more normal month ahead of us’

Gian Piero Gasperini has credited Roma’s mentality in what he considers a difficult start to the calendar year, but insists that things will start to look brighter for the Giallorossi in a ‘more normal’ month ahead. 

Roma have slipped out of the Serie A top four after a 1-0 defeat against Udinese last weekend and have also had a tough time of it with injuries, with Paulo Dybala, Evan Ferguson, Robinio Vaz, Stephan El-Shaarawy and Angelino among those on the treatment table. 

The Giallorossi head coach had an opportunity to take stock of the current situation during his pre-match press conference ahead of his side’s match against Cagliari on Monday night. 

Gasperini on Roma form, mentality and injuries

Reports this week have suggested that Francesco Totti could be primed to return to the Stadio Olimpico in a backroom role in the near future. 

Gasperini was asked to comment about Totti at the beginning of his pre-match press conference on Sunday. 

He jokingly replied: “Ah, I’ll let him play immediately, no problem. But he has to train, we’ll try to take 15, 20 years off him, we’ll help him grow.” 

Instead turning his attention to a question about January signing Bryan Zaragoza, Gasperini said: “He’s already trained with us, he’s been playing well and regularly with Celta, he’s in good shape. Of course, when you come to a new club, you still have to fit in, get to know your teammates, get to know the team. He is available tomorrow, though. 

“I’ve not decided whether to play him from the first minute or bring him on during the game. The intention is always to integrate players quickly, to give them more chances and increase the speed in which they settle into the team.” 

Gasperini feels that Roma are not just growing on a sporting level, but also in their mentality as well. 

“I’ve never had any doubts about that. This group has always responded strongly. Sometimes there are some aches and pains, a bit of bad luck in some cases, but we have also lost a lot of games by 1-0. Maybe we could be better in the air, that’s a fundamental, because a lot of games are settled like that in the final minutes. 

“Of course, we have a few technical aspects we need to get better at, but from a motivational point of view, this group today, as it always has, gives a great response and it will be the same for the next game.” 

Roma’s 1-0 loss against Udinese last week means that they have slipped out of the Serie A top four and now sit two points behind Juventus. 

“What we try to do is to try and solve the problems that each match presents. I have to point out that we basically played 10 games in the month of January: From December 29 against Genoa until February 2 against Udinese. They were 10 very difficult games, I mean really complicated, and we lost several players in some of them. 

“We had to play light: I’m thinking about Athens, but I could mention all the others. In some situations, because of numbers, players like Romano, Arena and Della Rocca had to make their debuts. Bassa played as soon as he came in, Venturino played immediately. 

“Despite all of that, we had a run of 10 difficult games and always played with good spirit and desire. Now we have earned the chance to play in the final phase of the Europa League. It’s a more normal month ahead of us in terms of matches, and we’ll try to recover some key players as quickly as possible.” 

Gasperini also gave in-depth injury updates on the likes of Evan Ferguson, Mario Hermoso and Robinio Vaz. 

“The problem is his ankle,” Gasperini said when discussing Ferguson. “It’s the fourth sprain he’s suffered. He was out for about a year with an ankle issue last year, so the situation has become a bit complicated. That’s what’s happened.

“We’re working to get him back on his feet, but every time he changes direction, the ankle seems to sprain. It’s one (ankle) or the other, but the one he had an operation on is the most problematic, which hasn’t completely solved the problem.

“We’re all working to try and fix the situation. From a psychological point of view, he’s not very pleased and is a bit depressed. We’re trying to help him recover and get him back on his feet. It’s not easy, because it takes 12 weeks each time. Last time he got hurt avoiding a photographer. 

“Whenever he’s been available, he’s always played, but that’s part of the problem for this player. It’s gone better for him this year, last year he practically never played.” 

And on the other members of Roma’s squad, Gasperini added: “Hermoso’s got a very bad bruise on his foot and is struggling to even get his foot in his shoe. It’s a hematoma and unfortunately that’s quite bad luck. 

“Dybala has taken a contusion to the knee, no ligaments or anything else are affected. We hope that he will be available next week, the same with Hermoso.

“Soule has been suffering from pubalgia for a few weeks, but with good spirit, he always manages to recover and play. It often happens to young players when they play this regularly. He played much less in other years. It’s not too serious, but it still affects us. Sometimes he’s better, sometimes he’s worse.

“You’ll have to ask me later about the other situations. Vaz I don’t think is a big problem, I believe that we’ll have him on Tuesday or Wednesday.”