Daniele De Rossi shrugs off suggestions he taught Roberto De Zerbi and Brighton a ‘football lesson’ or wiped out Jose Mourinho’s era. ‘We’re winning games Roma should be winning.’
De Rossi has well and truly transformed this team since taking over from Mourinho, winning eight competitive matches, drawing one and losing one, with 26 goals scored and 11 conceded.
“I didn’t do much really, it just all slotted into place straight away and I’m very happy,” the coach told Sky Sport Italia.
“The players I found here are very talented, I said it from the first day, we are winning the games that Roma ought to be winning. We’re a great squad and therefore we win, there’s nothing special in that.”
The Giallorossi ran riot at the Stadio Olimpico and gave themselves a massive first leg lead to take to Brighton next week.
Paulo Dybala and Romelu Lukaku both made the most of smart Leandro Paredes passes in the first half, then Gianluca Mancini and Bryan Cristante were ready to meet crosses at the back post for the 4-0 scoreline.
“In 2024 you need to run hard and the players always give me a strong response on the pitch.”
Only two Italian teams had previously managed to beat an English side 4-0 in UEFA competitions, Milan with Manchester United in the 1957-58 European Cup and Milan against Arsenal in the 2011-12 Champions League.
However, when told he had taught friend De Zerbi ‘a football lesson,’ De Rossi was reticent.
“Look, I don’t want to minimise how happy I am with the performance, and I did see a lot of things I liked, but in the second half we could’ve held the ball better.
“I love De Zerbi, so to prepare for a game against him you need to work twice as hard. I admit that I really drove the players a bit mad.”
Many of the Roma attacks came down the left and De Rossi admits that was not a coincidence.
“There was a very big difference in quality between Spinazzola and Buonanotte. Leonardo was in great shape recently and we were convinced we could create goals down that flank.
“You must respect your opponent in these matches, and Roberto’s teams always know what to do. However, you are acting as if I painted some masterpiece, perhaps the result is a bit too harsh and our goalkeeper had some saves to make too.
“Nobody is perfect, but the lads were fantastic tonight, including Lukaku and Dybala’s work off the ball. This is the kind of attitude you need in these games, otherwise you risk getting hammered.”
De Rossi was only signed until the end of the season, so is he expecting a call from the club to extend that contract?
“I know that you are going to start with this, I know this city very well. This is the last thing on my mind. I am doing a job that I love, with satisfaction I didn’t know I could receive in such a short space of time.”