Roma coach looks ahead to Genoa clash, discusses injuries and laughs about dinner with Totti
Gian Piero Gasperini says AS Roma must stay focused on their performances if they want to remain in the race for a Champions League spot.
Speaking ahead of Roma’s upcoming Serie A match against Genoa CFC, Gasperini admitted the season has been complicated by injuries but praised his team’s resilience.
“The objective is to stay in the Champions League race for as long as possible,” he said. “We’ve faced a lot of injuries, some of them very unusual situations.”
Injury Problems Continue
Roma’s most recent setback came with the injury to Paulo Dybala, who recently underwent knee surgery.
But Gasperini explained that several other players have also faced difficult recoveries throughout the campaign.
“I’m not a doctor, so it would be presumptuous for me to talk about medicine,” he said. “But this season we’ve had some borderline cases.”
Among them is midfielder Evan Ferguson, whose season has effectively ended after a relapse that now requires surgery.
Other players, including Angeliño, Leon Bailey, and striker Artem Dovbyk, have also dealt with injury issues. Dovbyk is expected to return around the end of April.
“Each situation is different,” Gasperini said. “But the team has responded well to the absences so far and I believe we can continue to do that.”
No Calculations Before Genoa
Despite an upcoming European match against Bologna FC 1909 in the UEFA Europa League, Gasperini insisted there will be no squad rotation based purely on future planning.
“I know the atmosphere at the Ferraris very well,” he said. “The stadium is always full, Genoa are playing with intensity, and Daniele De Rossi is doing a very good job.”
For Gasperini, thinking too far ahead can become dangerous.
“If you arrive at a game with too many thoughts about the next one, you risk losing focus,” he explained. “Every match now is important.”
Roma are entering a crucial stretch of the season, balancing both domestic and European ambitions.
“In one week we’re fighting to keep moving forward in the Europa League, and at the same time the league is becoming decisive,” he added. “Calculations made beforehand don’t help.”
Reflecting on the Juventus Draw
Gasperini also dismissed criticism following Roma’s recent draw with Juventus.
The match ended with Juventus equalizing late, but the Roma coach believes the performance itself was solid.
“We didn’t suffer much against Juventus,” he said. “They didn’t create many shots.”
He also rejected the idea that the result should be judged only by the final episode of the game.
“I’ve seen many matches end like that,” Gasperini explained. “I find it difficult to evaluate a whole performance based on a single moment.”
The Dinner With Totti
Finally, Gasperini addressed the curiosity surrounding his recent dinner with Roma legend Francesco Totti.
The meeting sparked speculation about a possible role for Totti within the club’s future structure, but Gasperini downplayed the idea.
“I’ve only been here eight or nine months and it was the first time we met,” he said. “I didn’t bring up the subject of him returning to the club.”
Instead, the conversation focused simply on football.
“It was a normal dinner,” Gasperini said. “I like the way he talks about the game. He’s very direct and has a high-level understanding when discussing players and the team.”
And when asked the inevitable question about who paid the bill?
“Neither of us,” Gasperini joked.
Staying in the Race
With injuries piling up and the schedule becoming increasingly demanding, Gasperini remains focused on one goal above all.
“The important thing is to still be in the race by April,” he said. “The decisive matches will come in May.”
For Roma, staying within striking distance of the Champions League places could make the difference between a good season and a great one.
