Gasperini After Bologna–Roma: “The Dall’Ara Was an Inferno — It Will Be Different at the Olimpico” (VIDEO)
Roma coach defends Pellegrini and looks ahead to the decisive Europa League second leg
After the 1–1 draw between AS Roma and Bologna FC 1909 in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16, Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini admitted his side struggled but remains confident ahead of the return leg.
Speaking after the match at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, Gasperini acknowledged Bologna’s strong performance while pointing to the intense atmosphere as a key factor.
“Today Bologna were slightly better than us,” Gasperini said. “The environment was extremely intense and it influenced the match.”
A Physical Battle in Bologna
Roma found themselves dealing with Bologna’s direct and physical approach, something Gasperini said caused difficulties during the game.
“We suffered from long balls and duels,” the coach explained. “When the match becomes very physical, technical play becomes more difficult.”
He also noted that Roma’s current squad is relatively young, which can create challenges in such high-intensity environments.
“We are a very young team at the moment and sometimes we lack strength in certain situations,” he said.
Despite those difficulties, Gasperini believes Roma improved as the match progressed.
“Over the 90 minutes we came out better in the end and created dangerous chances,” he added.
Confidence Ahead of the Second Leg
The tie will now be decided at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, and Gasperini expects a different type of game in front of Roma’s home crowd.
“The Dall’Ara was an inferno tonight,” he said. “But the atmosphere will be different at the Olimpico.”
Roma will have the opportunity to secure a place in the Europa League quarterfinals when the two sides meet again next week.
Frustration With Officiating
Gasperini also expressed confusion about some decisions by the officiating team, particularly a VAR review following Bologna’s opening goal.
“I didn’t understand certain choices,” he said. “Some situations seemed influenced by the stadium atmosphere.”
While he avoided going into further detail, the Roma coach made it clear that the officiating left him with questions.
Defending Pellegrini
The Roma manager also defended captain Lorenzo Pellegrini, who scored the equalizer but has faced criticism during the season.
“It’s not that when he scores he’s great and when he makes mistakes he’s not,” Gasperini said. “Let’s leave Pellegrini alone.”
Injury Updates
Gasperini also provided updates on the squad ahead of upcoming fixtures.
Midfielder Matías Soulé is expected to return after the international break.
“He’s been out for a long time,” Gasperini said. “Hopefully we’ll see him again after the break.”
Meanwhile, Manu Koné was rested as a precaution due to recent recovery concerns, with Roma facing a demanding schedule that includes league matches against Como 1907 and Bologna again.
For now, the focus shifts to the decisive second leg — where Roma will try to take advantage of home support to advance in Europe.
Gasperini After Bologna–Roma: “The Dall’Ara Was an Inferno — It Will Be Different at the Olimpico” (VIDEO)
Roma coach defends Pellegrini and looks ahead to the decisive Europa League second leg
After the 1–1 draw between AS Roma and Bologna FC 1909 in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16, Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini admitted his side struggled but remains confident ahead of the return leg.
Speaking after the match at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, Gasperini acknowledged Bologna’s strong performance while pointing to the intense atmosphere as a key factor.
“Today Bologna were slightly better than us,” Gasperini said. “The environment was extremely intense and it influenced the match.”
A Physical Battle in Bologna
Roma found themselves dealing with Bologna’s direct and physical approach, something Gasperini said caused difficulties during the game.
“We suffered from long balls and duels,” the coach explained. “When the match becomes very physical, technical play becomes more difficult.”
He also noted that Roma’s current squad is relatively young, which can create challenges in such high-intensity environments.
“We are a very young team at the moment and sometimes we lack strength in certain situations,” he said.
Despite those difficulties, Gasperini believes Roma improved as the match progressed.
“Over the 90 minutes we came out better in the end and created dangerous chances,” he added.
Confidence Ahead of the Second Leg
The tie will now be decided at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, and Gasperini expects a different type of game in front of Roma’s home crowd.
“The Dall’Ara was an inferno tonight,” he said. “But the atmosphere will be different at the Olimpico.”
Roma will have the opportunity to secure a place in the Europa League quarterfinals when the two sides meet again next week.
Frustration With Officiating
Gasperini also expressed confusion about some decisions by the officiating team, particularly a VAR review following Bologna’s opening goal.
“I didn’t understand certain choices,” he said. “Some situations seemed influenced by the stadium atmosphere.”
While he avoided going into further detail, the Roma coach made it clear that the officiating left him with questions.
Defending Pellegrini
The Roma manager also defended captain Lorenzo Pellegrini, who scored the equalizer but has faced criticism during the season.
“It’s not that when he scores he’s great and when he makes mistakes he’s not,” Gasperini said. “Let’s leave Pellegrini alone.”
Injury Updates
Gasperini also provided updates on the squad ahead of upcoming fixtures.
Midfielder Matías Soulé is expected to return after the international break.
“He’s been out for a long time,” Gasperini said. “Hopefully we’ll see him again after the break.”
Meanwhile, Manu Koné was rested as a precaution due to recent recovery concerns, with Roma facing a demanding schedule that includes league matches against Como 1907 and Bologna again.
For now, the focus shifts to the decisive second leg — where Roma will try to take advantage of home support to advance in Europe.
SMIT Team
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