Gian Piero Gasperini said during yesterday's press conference that Nice midfielder Jonathan Koné will probably not be available before the mid-season break, while defender Serdar Svilar could return to action within the next week. The Roma coach explained that, although Koné is a key element, his absence for the rest of the round of matches should not have a decisive impact on the team. On the contrary, Svilar, who has been injured in the last few matches, is expected to be able to return between Thursday and Friday, with the possibility of being ready for the next match against Sassuolo.
Gasperini also commented on the dynamics of the squad compared to other Serie A teams. “It is clear that there are strong teams, like Napoli, who have won two scudetti in recent years and regularly compete in the Champions League,” he observed. "We can't look at others, we have to focus on internal improvement and then compare ourselves with our opponents." He highlighted that Roma is going through a period of absence of key players such as Svilar, Dybala, Koné, Cristante and Pellegrini, but stated that the team is still maintaining good results and performances.
The coach also highlighted the difficulty of playing matches every three days, which can lead to a quick recovery for one player but also a higher risk of injury for others. “By playing so much, we could recover a player and at the same time lose another,” he explained, indicating the need to carefully manage the squad to avoid overloads.
As for the next match, Roma is preparing to challenge Cagliari. With Koné out and Svilar recovering, the coach expressed confidence in the team's ability to continue competing at a high level. “Our goal is to maintain competitiveness and constantly improve,” he concluded, leaving open the prospect of Svilar's return before the match against Sassuolo and Koné's possible participation in the next round of the championship.