A fundamental success, which brings the points in the standings to 58, and Roma in fifth place: the Giallorossi win 2-1 at Udinese, scoring with Cristante in the last 24 minutes played at the Bluenergy Stadium. “I think – confided the Giallorossi coach Daniele De Rossi – that even with Mourinho they would have made it because everything starts from them. They have a huge heart. I think they would have pulled their heads out even without me.”
The match valid for matchday number 32 of Serie A resumed from the 72nd minute on the Friulians’ pitch: the Giallorossi managed to achieve victory with a header from the Giallorossi midfielder (who had also assisted Lukaku for the opening goal 1-1), from a corner taken by Paulo Dybala, in the 95th minute.
“It was a mixture of tactics and logic. I tried to field as many players as possible who could score, with a shot from outside or a header. I removed people like Paredes in favor of Cristante, or Pellegrini. And I put Angeliño on how he could cross,” commented Roma coach Daniele De Rossi.
“I am happy with this victory which – added De Rossi – is important for the standings and for morale. After the defeat against Bologna we were a bit down. Happy for the players. There are people who came here knowing they wouldn’t make it even for a minute and yet they were all celebrating. Incredible participation, certain things touched me as a player and as a coach even more. There was controversy over this match… And it’s sorry because this stadium treated us well. The response of my players makes me feel comfortable, I have a team of wonderful men. We were the first team in the history of Italian football to play a semi-final against an undefeated team who were given one less day to prepare.”
“We have difficult matches and we felt we had the duty and the right – he observed – to ask for help for the match against Leverkusen and we were denied and it bothered us quite a bit. Playing against the Bundesliga champions, undefeated, with one less day of rest. I believe it is a unique precedent in Italy that a team is not helped in this sense. Maybe it moved something in us, then karma comes back with succulent gifts sometimes. We will go to Naples with one day less, but the players’ responses make me feel calm, we have a team of wonderful men.”
As for the next match, De Rossi reiterated that “Napoli are very strong, last year they killed the championship. I consider them among the strongest together with Inter and perhaps Milan. We know it will be difficult, we will have to prepare like for the others.”
“It is clear – he then concluded – that we are doing well and that we have reopened conversations that seemed closed when I arrived. Not so much for the points but for the teams ahead. The guys are doing an incredible job.”
Andrea Bruschi
){kind=link}