Roma dominate large spells, rally back for a draw, and leave the Olimpico with confidence despite missed chances
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Roma’s 1–1 draw with Milan ended a long run without stalemates, and while it stopped short of a victory, Gian Piero Gasperini walked away convinced his side deserved more. Speaking after the match at the Olimpico, the Roma coach praised his players’ performance and admitted that defeat would have felt deeply unfair.
“For the way the game unfolded, we’re happy,” Gasperini said, “but we probably deserved something more.” He underlined Roma’s attacking dominance, adding: “We created a lot, and we did it with quality — through well-worked moves and strong collective play. Maignan also had a big say in the game, and he’s not new to nights like this.”
Roma controlled long stretches but struggled to convert chances, something Gasperini acknowledged without frustration. “Maybe we could have been more precise,” he explained, “but I don’t feel like blaming the team for anything.”
The coach also highlighted the difficulty of facing Milan once they take the lead. “Usually, when Milan go ahead, the game becomes very complicated,” Gasperini said. “They’re extremely dangerous on the counterattack, with incredible pace. It was a tough match, but losing would have been a real beffa.” He added a clear regret: “If we had scored first, we would have had a great chance to win.”
Gasperini then clarified the decision behind Roma’s penalty taker. “Everyone who usually takes penalties had gone off,” he explained. “So we thought Cristante would take it. Then Pellegrini came on, and he took responsibility — and he did it very well.” On Pellegrini’s contract situation, however, Gasperini avoided the topic: “You know the situation. He’s nearing the end of his deal, but this isn’t the moment to talk about that.”
There was also strong praise for new signing Donyell Malen, despite a few missed opportunities. “He works very well as a striker,” Gasperini said. “He’s outstanding in that role, and by playing he’ll build endurance. Even tonight he caused problems for Milan’s defense and did some extraordinary things. We’ve made a great signing.”
Gasperini closed with a mix of humor and optimism, pointing to Roma’s youth-driven project. “We’re a very young team,” he noted. “I thought we’d be bringing in Under-25 players, but we’re basically building an Under-20 side — we’ll have an incredible Primavera team in the finals,” he joked. Then, more seriously, he concluded: “We keep going on our path. From tonight, we come out of this match truly stronger.”
Roma may have missed the win, but Gasperini’s message was clear: the performance reinforced belief — and momentum — heading into the next phase of the season.
