Ahead of Roma’s crucial Europa League match against AZ Alkmaar, manager Claudio Ranieri expressed confidence and respect for the Dutch side during his pre-match press conference.
“I’m very curious about the match we’re going to play because I greatly respect AZ Alkmaar. It’s a team I really like,” Ranieri stated. He emphasized Roma’s European ambitions, noting, “We are here and want to return to high levels. We know to do that, we must do something incredible.”
When asked about promises for the upcoming match, Ranieri remained characteristically pragmatic. “For Roma, it’s better to promise work and sacrifice. It’s the most appropriate recipe. Never promise and not deliver. I’ve built my career on this,” he explained.
Discussing the young and quick AZ Alkmaar side, Ranieri highlighted the match as an important test for his team. “We’re facing a young and fast team. It will be an excellent benchmark for us,” he said.
On individual players, Ranieri praised young talent Pisilli, calling him “a force of nature who never gives up. He knows how to fight, and players like that drive me crazy.”
Regarding the potential lineup, he kept his cards close to his chest, suggesting both Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala could feature. “They can both play. Why not?” he quipped.
When asked about AZ Alkmaar’s coach Jansen, Ranieri offered an intriguing comment about another young coach: “I think he’s a young coach doing well in a difficult and demanding place like Amsterdam with Ajax… and he will wait.”
