Daniele De Rossi discloses that AS Roma diligently undertook preparations for the forthcoming fixture against Brighton by meticulously analyzing the latter’s performances against Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester City. However, De Rossi concedes the challenge of accurately gauging Brighton’s standing in Serie A.
AS Roma is currently priming for the inaugural encounter of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 against Brighton, scheduled to transpire at the Stadio Olimpico.
This impending clash marks an Italian derby, with De Rossi and De Zerbi assuming the managerial reins for their respective clubs, a circumstance further underscored by their close personal association.
Unsurprisingly, the bulk of inquiries directed towards De Rossi centered on the Brighton manager and the tactical dynamics anticipated during the fixture at the Stadio Olimpico the following day.
“I’ve been on good terms with De Zerbi since I was a footballer and he was at the beginning of his coaching career,” DDR said at a press conference as quoted by ForzaRoma.info.
“We used to chat after matches and I admired his playing style at Palermo and Benevento. He has brilliant ideas, he is a different coach. He also has excellent players they’ve signed many good footballers, so I expect a difficult game.”
Brighton presently occupies the 9th position in the Premier League. Consequently, De Rossi was queried regarding the hypothetical scenario of the club’s potential placement if it were competing in Serie A.
“It’s not easy to predict where they’d rank in Serie A. They are an emerging club. First Potter and now De Zerbi are trying to leave their mark worldwide,” the Roma coach replied.
“Bologna sit fourth in Serie A currently. They have a similar philosophy but with a richer history. I think De Zerbi did something similar at Sassuolo and it’s not always easy as we have seen this season.
“I think Roma must respect Brighton, but we are Roma. It will be a nice game. We know Brighton can cause trouble for Manchester City, Arsenal, and Chelsea. These are the games we’ve studied. There will be many duels, and we must win when we keep the ball and when they push,” he continued.
The manager of AS Roma expresses his ambition to secure victory and advance to the quarter-finals in the upcoming week, irrespective of the UEFA coefficient ranking.
“We play to win games and finish fourth or fifth. We look at the ranking, but it changes nothing to us,” he said.
“We only want to win. If an Italian club win [a European competition] it will bring benefits beyond the fans’ rivalries.”
What does he make of his first 50 days as the Roma coach?
“I expected three more points in the league and it would have been perfect. That was the plan,” he admitted.
“I am satisfied, but I am aware that we have achieved nothing so far. Nobody more than me knows how this city can change judgments in a short time.”
Will Rick Karsdorp be available tomorrow?
“We’ll see how Karsdorp feels to see if he can be called up. I go crazy for our left-backs [Leonardo Spinazzola and Angelino] . I like their quality and personality even if they have different characteristics. Sometimes I make decisions depending on the opponent, other times I pick the one who seems fitter.”
The Stadio Olimpico will be sold out tomorrow. How important will Roma fans be?
“We must give them another happy night; it’s not them who must make us win,” insisted De Rossi.
“Both things will be important. All players enjoy playing here, including foreign ones, even if they are more accustomed to sold-out stadiums full of colours. The environment in Premier League matches is always nice, but they will find more passion here.”
How about Edoardo Bove? Why is he not getting regular playing time?
“Before the Monza game, I read that he had averaged 61 minutes with Mourinho. With me, he has 59. There are no differences,” replied De Rossi.
“He was the best player against Verona and I rely on him. He may get less playing time because other players are doing well. I don’t think he can play as a winger. On the contrary, I think he will soon become a good defensive midfielder. He just needs to work. We stop at the end of training sessions to work on the tempo. He runs a lot and has quality. He must understand when he has to play with one touch and when he must do something different. When I started, I was a box-to-box midfielder and I hope nobody will rush him. As a human being, he is a boy to be married to your daughters. I am really happy with him, he has to improve in some things, but has the right attitude and he always smiles even if he isn’t a starter. There’s no shame in being the first Roma reserve.”