Roma coach says his team is paying for unlucky moments despite a strong performance
Gian Piero Gasperini did not hide his frustration after AS Roma slipped to defeat against Genoa CFC, insisting the match turned on controversial moments rather than poor play.
The result leaves Roma locked in a tight race for Champions League qualification in Serie A, level on points with Como and just one point ahead of Juventus.
Still, Gasperini believes his team performed well despite the setback.
“They approached the match aggressively and it wasn’t easy to play,” he said after the game. “But we reacted well and created more chances than Genoa.”
“We’re Paying for the Episodes”
According to Gasperini, Roma’s recent struggles have more to do with isolated moments than with the overall level of the team.
“We were never really under pressure,” he explained. “This is just a negative period when the small episodes go against us.”
The coach pointed to several situations in the match — including crowded scrambles in the penalty area — that could have swung the result differently.
“We even had the feeling after the 1–1 that we could win the match,” he added.
Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar was barely tested until the closing stages.
“Svilar made his first save after the 90th minute,” Gasperini noted. “That tells you something about how the game went.”
Anger Over the Penalty Decision
The most controversial moment came when Roma appealed for a penalty after a shot from midfielder Manu Koné appeared to strike the arm of Genoa’s Ruslan Malinovskyi inside the area.
The referee allowed play to continue, and VAR did not intervene — a decision Gasperini clearly disagreed with.
“We were 1–1 and I don’t know why VAR didn’t intervene,” he said. “The images are very clear.”
While acknowledging that refereeing decisions can always be interpreted differently, Gasperini delivered a pointed remark about the technology.
“If the VAR official didn’t see it, he should change jobs.”
Despite the criticism, the Roma coach insisted he does not want to reduce the defeat to a single incident.
“We’re not clinging to that,” he said. “But the situation is very clear.”
Confidence Despite the Setback
Even with the loss complicating Roma’s Champions League ambitions, Gasperini refused to sound alarm bells.
“I wouldn’t start a trial against the team right now,” he said. “The spirit of this group is extraordinary.”
Roma now face a crucial stretch of matches before the international break, while also continuing their European campaign.
“We have four games before the break,” Gasperini said. “The goal is to reach that point in the same position we’re in now and keep advancing in Europe.”
For the Roma coach, the message remains simple: the performances are there — the results just need to follow again.
