LATEST NEWS FROM AS ROMA – Martin Anselmi, coach of Porto, comments after the match on his boys’ performance in the Europa League first leg playoff that was just played at the Do Dragao Stadium against Roma. Below are all the statements of the Portuguese coach to journalists’ microphones after the match:
Everything is open.
“This match does not determine anything, we have to impose ourselves at the Olimpico in Rome, impose our game and try to qualify. I had said the match could be decisive if the result affected the second half, but it ended in a draw and there are still 95 minutes left.”
Responsibility and protagonism.
“AS Roma has strong players who man-mark, the central players came from behind and didn’t win some second balls, we were quiet in that phase of the game and in the second half we took the responsibility and protagonism we talked about at halftime and we did it well, this is the attitude we want to show. To beat AS Roma, this is the attitude we have to have throughout the match.”
High pressure.
“We tried to press their three-man construction, with Samu, Mora and Borges, because we knew they play straight forward and look for the second ball with Pellegrini or Dybala. The game stopped many times, they played long, scored the goal like that and we were doing well, but we had to win more duels, which we didn’t do.”
Exploiting superiority.
“We took risks, we played a lot of long balls, the goalkeeper knew we were man-to-man and we exploited the space with Samu running behind. We tried to go man-to-man, exploiting the superiority inside and we didn’t defend vertically so that they lost their marker and we gained superiority to play.”
On getting the ball out.
“We didn’t talk about this risk at halftime.”
90 minutes to the end.
“We always play to win and we always want to win. Everything is open for the return leg, we want to go to Rome and show what we can do and qualify.”
ANSELMI IN CONFERENZA STAMPA
Claudio Ranieri complained about the refereeing.
“I didn’t hear from Ranieri. It was a first half where we didn’t play much. It seemed like we had to give more pace to the game. I think there should have been a second card in the first half, but I think the yellows were fair. I don’t have much more to say.”
Does the team’s responsiveness worry you?
“The responsiveness of the players and the team is very good. In every game we ended up playing in the opponent’s half of the field. We equalized and went in search of the second goal. The goal came from a lost ball, against Rio Ave they were lost balls… I would be more worried if the team was not competitive. The important thing is to be competitive, as we are.”
Nine games, one win. What’s missing?
“These are different contexts. We played an elimination game, which lasts 180 minutes. From tomorrow we have to think about the championship and get the three points in the next game. Then we will think about the return. The team has always been competitive, fighting until the end and playing in our opponents’ half of the field in the final stages.”
On Rodrigo Mora’s departure.
“Pepê entered well, he is a player who takes charge of the game. Rodrigo had played every minute in recent times and it was time to give him some breathing room. He was having a good game, but the changes worked in that sense.”
Booing for Mora’s substitution. Is there sometimes impatience with your philosophy? “We pass behind to find an advantage in front, it’s not to slow down the game. Sometimes we go long and miss the shot… The team that plays with patience and calmness does not mean it has no rhythm. We want the pace, the circulation of the ball, but with patience, to understand when we can go forward. Pepê scored with a pass, but sometimes we need more passes and more time to find space. In the first half we drew the opponent well, but it was not easy to follow.”
Analysis.
“I don’t think it’s over, we have to go to the Olimpico in Rome and impose ourselves to qualify. The game was crucial, but the result of the return leg affects us and there are another 90 minutes to play.”
The team seemed superior to Roma in the second half.
“Roma has strong players who press man-to-man, the central players did not win some second balls and in that sense we were calm, but in the second half we took responsibility and had an attitude, but we have to do it again throughout the match to beat Roma.”
Did we lack an extra player in midfield?
“We tried to press their three-man line, we started with Moura and Borges to keep them out of the game. They play very direct and I think in the end we didn’t miss a player in the midfield, it was all very cut and wide. In the second line I think we were good, sometimes we won balls and sometimes we didn’t.”
Did Porto take risks with the ball?
“In the end I don’t think we took risks, I think we played a lot of wide balls where we knew it was man-on-man and they didn’t go in the right direction. It was more about space and not playing so much with bodies, that’s what we proposed at halftime, getting out of the man-on-man that they create and not building vertically. We didn’t talk about risks at halftime.
It’s all open in the playoffs, but for FC Porto it’s the third tie in a row.
“We already know we are playing to win and we want to win, but everything is open and we will show our game and qualify.”
How does he see the knockout round? He said the first leg is decisive. Roma plays the next game at home.
“We are in a competition where teams are strong. We have to be strong both at home and away. The first leg determines the return when there is a result for or against. In case of a tie, everything is open. We have to analyze today’s game, what to improve and how to prevent Roma from complicating things for us. We have to be strong at the Olimpico and play our game.”
Diogo Costa’s action in the 1-1 draw.
“We talked with Diogo, if we could play fast after corners it would be better. We know he has a good pass to the outside, the goal kick into space. In the end we tried to find the lead. If we have to score a goal with a pass, we will.”
Article ANSELMI: “It’s not over, we will go to the Olimpico to win. The criticism of the referee? The cautions were there” comes from Giallorossi.net, exclusive news, news and soccer market.
