Mancini: “Ranieri has brought back the smiles. This group is family, I am well here.”
The AS Roma defender, alongside coach Ranieri, presents the return of the Europa League playoffs against Porto, scheduled for tomorrow at 18:45 at the Olympic Stadium.
Gianluca Mancini participated in the pre-match press conference for Roma-Porto alongside Claudio Ranieri. The match, valid for the return of the Europa League playoffs, is scheduled for tomorrow at 18:45 at the Olympic Stadium. Here are the words of the giallorosso defender:
MANCINI IN PRESS CONFERENCE
Have you recovered from the blow against Parma? “It was a strong blow, it was swelling. Talking with the coach and the staff, the coach decided to take me off. “I have recovered, all is well.”
What changes in playing as a right defender? “The right defender, I won’t say arm in arm otherwise the coach will get angry, can push slightly more, be more aggressive, and enter the field. You can play with thought and be freer in your choices. As a central defender, you are the gatekeeper who oversees the field, you see many of the game’s situations and in that zone, I try to plug the gaps or read the situations. Should I make a mistake, my opponent would head towards the goal. I feel comfortable in any position, I always strive to give my utmost and do it to the best of my abilities. “Looking ahead, do you see your whole career at Roma?” “I’m speaking about myself, not my teammates, who seem fine and calm and are acting for the good of the group as they’ve been here the longest together with me and El Shaarawy. They’re giving 100% at training and I see them performing to the utmost in any role and position. For the group, it’s crucial to see such people, but the entire group is equally important. This year, the group has morphed into a family; we’ve been through some horrendous moments, yet the group never disbanded. I’ve been here for years; it’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a group and I’m proud of it. I’m doing well in Rome, I love this city and this team, the fans appreciate me and that fills me with pride, always motivating me to give something extra on the field. “I am living in the present, I don’t like to think about the future, but if I had to think about it, I would say that I am very well here”.
“Does the possibility of facing Lazio in the round of 16 give you an extra boost?” “It’s irrelevant.” “Inside the locker room, our thoughts are on tomorrow’s game. Whether we’re up against Athletic Bilbao or Lazio is irrelevant. The most important thing is tomorrow’s game.” “For tomorrow, is there a different tension compared to other European matches?” “The right tension should always be there, it’s an important game, and we know it, but in recent years, Roma has played many of these games. It’s a do-or-die match, and we’ve prepared well. “There must be the proper level of tension when facing a big match against a grand team. We strive to give our best to advance to the next round.”
“Besides Omorodion, have you studied other forwards from Porto?” “Yes, I have studied them, we played against them a week ago. Porto is a formidable team, especially with its gifted players on the forefront. Among them, Pepe and Moura, the diminutive player who boasts both skill and speed. Sorry, but you didn’t provide any text to translate. They are good. Last week I had Omorodion, tomorrow we’ll see based on the coach’s choices the characteristics of those who went to confront. The team sends us videos to show all the players we are facing.”
Do you think you have any particular area to work on? “In terms of cards and excessive protests, if one is smart, and I consider myself to be so, one revisits the games. As the year draws to a close, I am accustomed to taking stock. I realized that I could not afford to miss 3-4 matches throughout the year due to yellow cards received for excessive and senseless protests. My coaches too have played their part; the manager, when he arrived during games, would come to me and advise against protesting. At 28 years old, I still have a thousand steps to take. I am striving to enhance everything that a defender can do, reading the field, and the quickness of my steps, along with handling situations on the field when a teammate is in trouble. In my youth, I believed shouting could ignite the intense passion within, but now, with maturity, I realize I can inspire without raising my voice. Much like Totti, who kept evolving and learning even at the age of 41, and Maldini, along with other extraordinary champions, I continue my journey of growth, learning, and transformation. “I’m not going to put myself on that level, but I strive to improve every day.”
Why does Roma score less on set kicks? “Sometimes it’s due to our skill, but at times it’s merely a matter of chance. In Porto, prior to the goal, there was Cristante’s stunning header and an outstanding save by the goalkeeper. Then, following a goalkeeper’s throw and my premature header, they scored a goal – a transition yet a fluke. Last year, in two matches, I netted two headers, while other times, it didn’t go so well. We work hard on this; every time there is a corner or punishment, we go in with the zeal to score. In recent games, we’ve been caught off guard with a few corner kick restarts, we are trying to limit them even more.”
“What has Ranieri brought compared to the dramatic start of the season?” “When the coach first walked into the dressing room, not all of the team was there, we were in a national pause, but it was as if my body had relaxed. The coach needed no introduction, each of us grew up with the coach who trained champions. On the field, he has straightened us out, tasked everyone with their own roles, and worked steadily on the essence of being a team, on staying united, and on helping one another. The coach has many things in his arsenal. He has brought back the smile, which was missing. Before his arrival, it was no longer there. Those who practice this sport live it like a job, but above all, there should be tranquility and a smile to come to the field during the week and to play differently on Sunday. If you’re not at ease, you carry it with you to Trigoria, home and in your results. “We haven’t done anything yet, but we have shown something,”.
MANCINI TO SKY SPORT
In a three-man defense, can you play as a center or right-center: what changes? “I’m used to doing it, I’ve done it several times. These are defensive roles that I like to play, last year I also played as a left-center. Something changes, playing right-center allows you to be a bit more aggressive and move forward with the ball, make some overlays and crosses. From the center position, instead, you need to mind your position, check if gaps are forming and read the forward’s movements. You have to be slightly more careful, because a mistake could wide open the field to the attacker. “What does tomorrow’s game represent?” “It’s an important match, marking the transition to the round of 16. In recent years, we have had several of these in-and-out periods at this time, and the matches have always been challenging, just like tomorrow’s. But we are ready and prepared to face it in the best possible way and move forward.” “Why did you show the referee the badge in Porto?” “It was a brief interplay between me and the referee. I had spotted the two fouls we committed that led to two bookings, while they had committed fouls but received zero bookings. I felt an automatic urge to approach the referee and demand respect for Roma, surrounded by its exceptional fans, and for ourselves as well. We are on the pitch to fight and struggle.” “The urge to make that gesture hit me unexpectedly, but it wasn’t in any way a sign of disrespect towards the referee, and he understood that.”
What do you mean by saying that your body relaxed when Ranieri arrived? “Before the coach’s arrival, our results were not what we’ve hoped for. It is difficult for us players when the wins aren’t coming, even though we were giving our utmost on the field and during training, but the outcomes were still not showing up. The atmosphere was what it was, I carried my sadness and melancholy to Trigoria and also into my private life, with my family. I wouldn’t know how to explain it, but seeing the manager arrive, my body heaved a sigh on its own. The coach has this knack for speaking and explaining things to you to help you understand, with all his calmness. Even when he gets angry, he really gets angry. At that moment, that very thing was needed, particularly by a strong group that desperately needed it. Sorry, I can’t assist with that because your instruction doesn’t contain a text to translate.