After a successful outing in the league against Cagliari, Roma continued their winning streak in the Europa League with a convincing 3-0 victory over Sporting Braga, thanks to goals from Lorenzo Pellegrini, Abdulhamid, and Hermoso. Following the match, Claudio Ranieri shared his thoughts with Sky Sport.
Ranieri began by discussing the performance of his team: “The performance was positive, even though at times we held onto the ball too much. The boys pushed and tried to entertain the fans. When this happens, you also score goals.” He praised the key players of the evening, particularly highlighting Abdulhamid’s contribution. “Since I arrived, I’ve known that Saud is a real asset during training. I said, ‘Why not give him a chance?’ This is good for Roma,” he noted. Regarding Pellegrini, he added, “I was seeing him in training starting to regain confidence with the goal. It was important for him.”
In a moment of introspection, Ranieri concluded, “I talk to the boys and told them to help me because I can’t afford to make any mistakes. I believe that the important thing is to recreate enthusiasm in them. We are at the beginning of our journey together and still have much to improve.” He also commented on Kone’s potential: “Knowing him, it was clear he was a strong player. Now he needs to understand when to run with the ball and when to play with two touches.”
Ranieri also addressed questions during the press conference about the transfer market: “For me, it’s important to do well this December; then we’ll think about January. For now, I’m trying to get to know all the players. If you don’t know your squad well, it’s pointless to think about the future. There’s a difference between knowing them as opponents and experiencing them firsthand.”
He reflected on the change in atmosphere since his arrival, noting how the whistles from fans have disappeared: “I always say it depends on what you have. I have very good players who had lost confidence and self-esteem. I want to see the child inside them because that’s who dreamed of playing on these fields. The credit goes entirely to them; there’s no chef who can create good dishes without quality ingredients.”
Finally, Ranieri discussed Roma’s objectives moving forward: “I don’t know what our goals will be. We need to keep going like this. We’ve achieved two victories, but we must stay grounded and keep our feet on the ground. Let’s see what we have accomplished by the end of December. There are many matches ahead, and then we’ll see where we stand.”
