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Coach Paulo Fonseca faced the media on Wednesday afternoon at Trigoria, to preview the upcoming Europa League decider against Wolfsberg.
The Giallorossi host the Austrian side at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday evening (21:00 CET), knowing a draw will be enough to put them in draw for the last-32 of the competition.
Here's what the Portuguese had to say ahead of the game...
It's six months to the day since you joined Roma. What's your assessment of the team now?
“I don't want to take stock at this stage – you do that at the end of the season – but I'm very pleased with these first six months. The team is much better than when we started. We're enjoying a good spell. It's been a very positive start.”
You're playing for a place in the Europa League knockout stages tomorrow and then you're back in league action at the weekend. Will you rotate at all?
“Honestly, yes, I will. We might make four or five changes to the team. It's a tough, decisive match for us but I have confidence in all my players.”
The Coppa Italia dates were announced yesterday and you'll be playing at 21:15 on 16 January away to Parma, in one of the coldest areas of Italy. What do you think of that?
“That match is a long way off. Right now we need to focus on tomorrow. There'll be time to think about that game in due course.”
Will Edin Dzeko, Aleksandar Kolarov and Pau Lopez play tomorrow?
“Dzeko will. Kolarov and Pau Lopez won't.”
We saw Bryan Cristante back in training today. How's his fitness coming along? Will you need to strengthen your midfield options in January?
“No, we have Cristante, [Jordan] Veretout, [Amadou] Diawara, [Lorenzo] Pellegrini and [Henrikh] Mkhitaryan who can play there. We don't need to change anything. Bryan is better. He's training on his own and I think he'll be ready to return in January.”
How are Justin Kluivert and Javier Pastore?
“Kluivert is close to a return and should be ready for the game against SPAL. Pastore is following an individual programme and I think he'll be ready in a couple of weeks.”
What are your reasons for not playing Alessandro Florenzi?
“I'm not going to talk about individual situations. I have options and I don't want to talk about this. When I think we need Florenzi, he'll play. When I think we don't need him, he won't play. The same goes for him and every other player in the squad.”
Will Cengiz Under play tomorrow?
“Yes, he'll play.”
You haven't been working in Italy for long but you have spoken about how difficult it is here. Does Carlo Ancelotti's sacking scare you at all? Does it further underline how difficult Serie A is?
“This is a very tough league – I've always said that. I'm sad to see a fellow coach lose his job. Yesterday was a very difficult day for him. I admire him greatly.”
So Nikola Kalinic won't play tomorrow? How is he now after his injury?
“He's fine. He's training well and he's an option we have. Dzeko will play this game but Kalinic is available again and working well.” |
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发表于 2019-12-10 11:58:38
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