Roma coach LucianoGasperini responded to MaurizioAllegri's comment about the alleged "Champions in your pocket" after the Napoli-Roma match, declaring that the phrase is "unfortunate" and that he will not add anything else. The answer was given during the press conference on Monday, 48 hours before the match, while the Giallorossi were preparing for the match against Cagliari.
Gasperini clarified that he had not heard Allegri's quote, but that he had reported it to others. He said that although the phrase had been circulated, it did not correspond to reality, citing "numbers, testimonies and data" from last year's matches to demonstrate that Roma did not have a "Champions in their pocket". The coach concluded that there is no need for further comments, since "everything has already been said".
Allegri's comment arose during the Napoli-Roma match, when Napoli player Balerdi scored two goals in the final minutes, bringing the match to 3-3. Allegri, visibly irritated, took off his jacket and received a red card, which resulted in a two-match ban. In that climate of tension, Allegri expressed his frustration, suggesting that Roma had "a Champions League in their pocket", a phrase that Gasperini considered unfortunate.
Roma, who are currently in second position in the table, have shown in the past that they can compete at European levels, but Gasperini's team reiterated that they cannot be considered a "Champions in your pocket" simply because of their position. The coach also recalled that the team had mixed results last year, with performances that did not justify such a statement.
With the next match against Cagliari, Roma will focus on maintaining their position in the table and consolidating their reputation in the league. Gasperini left the message that, although Roma have had moments of success, they cannot be defined as a team with a "Champions in their pocket" and that the discussion is now closed.