Roma manager Daniele De Rossi knows they face an uphill battle against Bayer Leverkusen: ‘We have to remain solid and concede nothing’. Speaking with Sky Sport Italia (via Romapress) ahead of the match, the Giallorossi boss touched on the status of his squad and how he plans to approach a tough match in prospect:
“The match isn’t that different from the first leg, where we already wanted to win. We won’t wait the whole game. We will have to be ready to also be forced by them to set up a defense different from the one we like.”
“Sometimes we will have to defend with a lower block. It’s a game in which we have to score. Obviously scoring early on could change the mental dynamics of the match.”
“We have strong players, this is sometimes enough to create. Within our amount of play, we have to be more solid and concede less, concede nothing if possible, and not make mistakes, which are costly at this level.”
“Dybala? We have to bring in the strongest players we have and Paulo is among them. But if he doesn’t feel fit enough, then it’s pointless to risk him. It’s a team effort, as always. We’ll talk. Then I won’t tell you everything. Maybe after the match I’ll explain something to you.”
“If we look at the last two games, we finished by growing in personality and attacking, creating scoring chances, some of them incredible ones too. Beyond the mental condition, which can sometimes be stressful to play so many matches, it seems to me that the boys are physically very well.”
“How I relate to the players? I try and talk a bit about everything. Sometimes I go off the cuff. You can see that I talk a lot and so sometimes it’s useful, sometimes it’s necessary to leave them alone. Sometimes the coach’s voice bothered me after a while. I get creative from time to time, you can’t always say the same thing and always make the same speech. And you can’t even always look back on your career.”
“Sometimes I bring up something, remembering both positive and negative things. I remind them how quickly a playing career passes and how much desire we ex-players have to go on the pitch and get dirty. They have to give everything because this splendid work lasts a moment and then it’s over. I’m lucky for what I do.”
