Gian Piero Gasperini declared that Roma is ready to challenge Real Madrid in the Champions League, underlining the desire to compete with one of the best teams in Europe. Despite the tiredness accumulated after the match against Como, the coach expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming match, defining it as an important occasion both for the standings and for the team's reputation. "We want to play against one of the best teams on the continent. Real Madrid is a team that can win any type of match and we want to understand how competitive we can be," he said.
During the press room in Trigoria, Gasperini answered several questions about José Mourinho's role in Roma. He recognized the love that Roma fans have for the Portuguese, defining it as a "fair tribute" and underlining that the team must not distort its characteristics to face high-level opponents. “Real are not a yardstick for what they represent in the world, but on the pitch we want to compete with them,” specified the coach, highlighting the importance of not losing the team's identity in view of a very important match.
Regarding preparation, Gasperini said that Roma are in shape and ready to play. “Koulierakis is in the group, Cristante still needs a bit,” he added, referring to the key players for the match. The coach also reiterated that the January transfer window is not currently on the agenda, focusing exclusively on tomorrow's match, an event that the team has not seen for years.
In the broader context of Italian football, Gasperini commented on Roma's path in the Champions League, recalling the experience of Atalanta who, although they did not win the tournament, won the Europa League. He underlined that Italian football must work on its internal development to achieve high-level results. “Each club must grow its own little garden properly, but there is still a long way to go,” he said.
Finally, the coach expressed admiration for Mourinho, stating that "the results speak for him, he is one of the most successful, I would steal his empathy and ability to make clubs spend money and buy extraordinary players". With these words, Gasperini concluded his interview, leaving Roma fans with the expectation of an exciting match against Real Madrid tomorrow night.