The words of the Giallorosso coach: “In this month we will know who we are and what we want to do. Ghisolfi against the referees? There must be respect for them.” “They are people like us and can make mistakes.”

The press conference with Claudio Ranieri took place two days ahead of the match against Lecce, which will be played on Saturday, December 7th, at the Olympic Stadium at 8.45pm. Roma finds itself in a troublesome situation in the league, and the face-off against Giampaolo’s team is a critical match for survival. Pisilli returns from disqualification, with Cristante leaning towards withdrawal.

RANIERI IN PRESS CONFERENCE

Regardless of the outcomes, we’ve witnessed an evolution in the defensive phase. Now we shift focus to the pressing matters. How are Dybala and Pellegrini? Are you satisfied with Dybala’s intensity? “Pellegrini is training well and it’s important for me, he’s relaxed.” It must continue this way. I will decide from time to time. I am not satisfied with Dybala’s intensity but I am happy with how he played. Intensity is not his strong suit but he manages to please the coach and team. The real competition begins now. December will reveal our true identity. There are no easy matches. Lecce never gives up, they’re in pursuit of their fourth survival. They have triumphed in Venice, they have tied with Juventus. They never give up, they have valuable players. The new coach wants them to play football. We must be clever and determined. “Every ball will be crucial.”

What does Roma need to beat Lecce? “I want a team that steps onto the field, not knowing their opponent, but one that fights for every ball, just as we have done in these recent games.” This is the Rome that I want, a determined Rome. When we have the ball, we must play quickly against a team that is good at closing in and breaking away. Lecce is a strong team, boasting good players; we must perform well. Our focus should not merely be on Lecce but on December as a whole. “In this month, we will discover who we are and what we want to achieve.”

Pellegrini has clashed with Atalanta, but post-match he stated that he didn’t have a box to box midfielder. “Lorenzo is superb from the midfield onwards. He possesses an innate sense of scoring and maneuvering. They all train together so that I can choose during the match. Against Atalanta, I didn’t use him because I needed a box-to-box player to battle with their midfielders. “He highly regards him as a midfielder who excels from the midfield forward.”

It’s the month of truth, as the team has witnessed. Is he thinking of going back to 4? “It could be, but I won’t say. I won’t give my opponent an extra chance.” I always give myself the night before to think and decide on the best solution for the team. The intensity on the field in London and against Atalanta, that’s what I want to see. During training, I push when needed. I’ve had only a few days, and I’ve never had a typical week. Today, they’ve pushed, they’re breaching my thoughts. They’ve changed four coaches within a year, all possessing different philosophies of the game. The players are sponges, but they are not computers. There are those who react immediately and others who need more time. “For me, all trainings are full throttle, slowly they will get there but we don’t have much time.”

“How have you seen Dovbyk these days?” “With Atalanta, I liked the boy, except during the offensive phase where he needed to be more ruthless.” He grappled in a Greco-Roman wrestling type struggle with his marker and has won many duels. However, he’s not well, he’s under the weather. He managed to play against Atalanta, but I’m unsure if he will be fit for the match against Lecce. I will have to think about some solutions. “I’m not sure if he’ll train tomorrow morning or how he’ll feel.”

Is Roma fighting to survive? “The ranking is the current situation for all the teams. Currently, we are fighting to claw our way up from the bottom of the rankings. The players are accustomed to standing tall, while I’m comfortable whether we’re up or down. We must fight. By December, we will understand what we wish to accomplish. “I am convinced that the players will respond blow by blow, but I want to see it.”

“How are Hummels and Cristante doing? Is Hermoso coming back? Is Mancini a possibility for a fullback?” “Football is a subject in continuous evolution and involution. What Mancini does on the right, Ndicka does on the left, and why not? I rule out nothing. For five minutes, Angeliño returned to play in the defensive trio, not out of his own desire but because he was marking Samardzic who was coming inside. Anything can happen in a game. Hummels has trained, all is well. Similarly, Hermosco. “Cristante is dealing with a draining ankle injury; it’s blue. We’ll see more tomorrow.” Where Would Le Fée Be Positioned? “He possesses outstanding quality, I see it from midfield forward but I am convinced that he can accomplish what Ancelotti and Pirlo have accomplished in their careers. Launching ahead and becoming a play. It has quality, it must take advantage of this year to become known. “Will you give us a hand?”

Does he share Ghisolfi’s position on the referees? “I believe that if we interview every team, they would all have complaints.” The most challenging role in Italian football is to be the referee. They command our respect. They are people just like us and they can make mistakes. When I used to play, they made even more mistakes. “Even the VAR makes mistakes at times, but if we analyze the errors of the past with those of today, we must be grateful for the level we have achieved. We can discuss it, but always with respect.”

Will there be room for rotations? “Let’s see. Paredes is a great champion, we all see it. I earnestly hope that he can consistently perform at these levels. He has played two phenomenal games, giving me no reason to make any changes. However, we will see why what a coach says now may change tomorrow. We need to keep our eyes peeled to see if there is anything that can improve the team’s performance. “Now, with Koné and Paredes, the team is moving well.”

“How important is the attitude?” “For me, it’s fundamental.” I was no champion, but on the field, I gave it my all. I could mess up a match, but I never faltered in my commitment. “It’s the first thing I told the boys. There’s one thing you can’t neglect, and that is the will to fight to the death on the field, to fight until the last second even if you’re losing 3-0.” They must leave the field after giving it their all. It could be only 5%, but then the coach is a fool if he didn’t see that they were performing at just 5%. “It could also be 50%, but one must give 100% of that 50%.”

On Bove. “I wanted to give a big hug to Edoardo. Hang in there, we’re all with you.”