Roma director Florent Ghisolfi maintains the team is ‘adapting well’ to Ivan Juric’s methods after Daniele De Rossi was sacked and gives an update on Nicola Zalewski.
The Europa League trip to Elfsborg kicks off at the Boras Arena at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT).
The club was torn apart and the fans furious after icon De Rossi was fired and Juric brought in, with mixed results so far in two Serie A wins and a 1-1 Europa League draw with Athletic Club.
That was then followed by the resignation of CEO Lina Souloukou, leaving director Ghisolfi as the highest-ranking figure outside of the Friedkin family.
Ghisolfi breaks Roma silence
“We have seen interesting things in these three games, even though there is still something to be improved,” Ghisolfi told Sky Sport Italia in a very rare interview.
“The team is adapting well to Juric after De Rossi’s methods, but we can always improve. It’s a slow process, but they will get more used to it.”
The change raised eyebrows also because they are coaches with rather different tactical ideas and the change was made just months after De Rossi signed a new contract.
“I think the players showed the desire to learn this new system, which is both mentally and physically taxing.”
There are quite a few changes to the line-up in Sweden, including the first start for Saudi international winger Saud Abdelhamid.
Eldor Shomurodov and Mario Hermoso also feature in the starting XI, with Matias Soulé and Tommaso Baldanzi.
Nicola Zalewski was frozen out of the squad after refusing a summer transfer to Galatasaray, so with a contract that expires in June 2025, he is hoping to get back into the Roma group.
“We are discussing it. We hope to resolve the contractual situation soon, because everyone cares about Nicola,” concluded Ghisolfi.
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