Eusebio Di Francesco warned Roma’s derby showdown with Lazio is “worth more than three points, a Champions League place and the history around it.”
It kicks off on Sunday at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT), click here for a match preview.
Eusebio Di Francesco warned Roma’s derby showdown with Lazio is “worth more than three points, a Champions League place and the history around it.”
It kicks off on Sunday at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT), click here for a match preview.
These local rivals are locked together in third place, but had very different experiences over the last few days, as Roma crushed Barcelona to set up a Champions League semi-final with Liverpool, while Lazio fumbled a 5-3 aggregate lead to crash out of the Europa League at RB Salzburg.
“I welcome a game like Lazio, because you don’t need to prepare or motivate the players for that. It’s worth more than three points, a place in the Champions League and of course the history around it,” said the Coach in his Press conference.
“It was a 3-4-2-1 or a 3-4-3, depending on how the movements go. It was a carefully pondered tactical choice and made us realise we can play other games in that style too. Let’s not forget we reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 4-3-3 formation.
“Numbers are all well and good, but become utterly meaningless if we don’t have the right determination and attitude. It’s a great extra weapon to have this other system and other alternatives, but the attitude is the most important thing. The system isn’t going to solve everything.
“I cannot give any advantages on the line-up, just as Simone Inzaghi won’t tell me who he is starting with. I can say it’s 50-50 between Cengiz Under and Patrik Schick, but one of the two will start.
“We have a few doubts on Manolas and Florenzi, as they had a fever and didn’t train yesterday, so we need to keep an eye on those situations. Diego Perotti and Gregoire Defrel are out, but we need to be careful and not start players who are 50-50, because we did that against Shakhtar Donetsk and it was a mistake.
“Of course, I hope it’s an advantage that we won and Lazio lost midweek, but the fact is I believe everything around it will be wiped out, because that’s what happens in a derby. It’s not so much a physical issue as a psychological one, but if we want to become a great team, we need physical strength and stamina.”
Dzeko scored both home and away against Barcelona, plus he earned the penalty converted by Daniele De Rossi.
“I thought it was Dzeko’s best performance against Barcelona since he has been working with me, as he worked really hard, showed great determination and has extraordinary quality, which he doesn’t always use to the full.
“I think what we did was extraordinary and we can’t hide from that. I am also very calm, because it should give us awareness of what we can do. It’s a growth process and we must treat every game the same way, with the attitude we showed against Barcelona, as that will make us great.
“It is my job to help the club and the team grow. I talk to them inside the locker room, so at the final whistle I don’t need to be out there under the Curva with them.”
Roma are now the only Serie A representatives still in European competition, as Juventus and Lazio went out.
“It’s very gratifying that we are able to represent Italy in Europe. There were some games that were really disappointing. Lazio looked for all the world as if they had the game in hand and it seemed impossible to concede four goals from that Salzburg side. It proves just how important it is to keep your focus and not let it go for a moment.
“Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Luis Alberto are so talented between the lines and I think Lazio are the best team in Italy when it comes to threading through passes to release their strikers.”
Roma have been drawn for the Champions League semi-final against Liverpool, a side they have not faced since losing the 1984 European Cup Final on penalties at the Olimpico.
“Roma fans have been waiting 34 years for this match. It was destiny. We’re up against a strong side, it won’t be easy, but I welcome the draw, as I always have done even from the group stage.”