Roma boss proud of performance despite late equalizer: “This must give us strength, not knock us down”
A missed opportunity — but not a missed objective. That was the tone set by Gian Piero Gasperini after Roma were held to a late draw by Juventus at the Olimpico.
Roma had the chance to move seven points clear of Juve in the Champions League race before a late set-piece goal by Federico Gatti leveled the score. Gasperini didn’t hide his frustration — but he refused to let it overshadow what he called an “extraordinary” performance.
“We Were Passive on the Goal”
Gasperini pointed directly to the decisive moment.
“On Gatti’s goal, we were passive. We were standing still,” he said. “That free kick had to be attacked.”
The Roma coach compared the situation to how elite teams manage late-game pressure.
“Inter, Napoli, Milan — in the final minutes they throw on players who are strong in the air and on set pieces. We could have done better. The exit of Cristante cost us something in aerial duels.”
He noted a worrying pattern: “We conceded three similar goals — balls thrown into the box. On the first, Conceição scored a fantastic goal. On the other two, we were passive.”
Malen’s Impact and Tactical Choices
Roma had found the net through Donyell Malen, whose pace and directness justified a more conservative second-half approach.
“When you have a player like him, you can drop a little and exploit space,” Gasperini explained. “But we needed to be more physical in those final moments.”
“We’re Still in the Champions League Race”
Despite the frustration, Gasperini kept the bigger picture in view.
“Going +7 on Juventus would’ve been a huge step forward,” he admitted. “But we’re still right there in the Champions League fight.”
In his post-match press conference, the Roma boss emphasized perspective.
“Half-empty glass? For the late goal, yes. But I look at the half-full glass. The regret is big, but the performance was outstanding.”
He dismissed the idea of emotional collapse. “They celebrated like they had won. But we must not fall into depression. Before the match, a draw would’ve been a good result. We have to keep playing until the end.”
Roma may have missed a chance to create distance, but in Gasperini’s view, the message is clear: the race is alive, and the belief remains intact.
