Roma head coach Daniele De Rossi believes Paulo Dybala must be given a ‘certain freedom on the pitch’ ahead of their match against Cagliari. De Rossi has overseen two victories in a row since taking over the reins from Jose Mourinho, and is aiming for a third win when they host former Giallorossi manager Claudio Ranieri and his Cagliari side:
“Renato Sanches is ahead of Smalling in terms of recovery. He did all the training with us, has completed his recovery and will be called up. We will see Chris back with the squad with Inter or Feyenoord.”
“To be able to prepare a whole week has been a blessing for us but we are also eager to play in the Europa League soon. Angelino and Baldanzi bring a lot of quality to the team. They’ve integrated really well.”
“Claudio Ranieri? I have a good bond with Ranieri. I spent many exciting moments with him, and spending them with a man like him is a great gift for anyone who aspires to be a coach.”
Addressing the positioning of Paulo Dybala, De Rossi drew on his experience with Francesco Totti, stating, “I played 20 years with Totti, no one told him where he should play. Dybala has great talent, and we must exploit it. He’s the kind of player who must be given a certain freedom on the pitch. The important thing is for us as a team to maintain unity on the pitch and not allow the opponent too much space.”
