Marco Giampaolo confirms he is ready to transform Torino against Roma, possibly including goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu. ‘We have to stand with Toro.’
It kicks off on Thursday at 19.45 GMT, click here for a match preview.
“What I expect of the team is unity, a sense of belonging and pride,” said the coach in his press conference.
Marco Giampaolo confirms he is ready to transform Torino against Roma, possibly including goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu. ‘We have to stand with Toro.’
It kicks off on Thursday at 19.45 GMT, click here for a match preview.
“What I expect of the team is unity, a sense of belonging and pride,” said the coach in his press conference.
“What I do not expect are alibis and idle chatter. We all know how good Roma are, but there are other things to take into consideration in matches.
“It’s not about who is standing with who, because Toro have to be above the interests of all of us. We have to stand with Toro.
“All the rest is chatter where everyone is trying to find a shortcut. We need to be ready to do certain things, all the rest just fills newspaper columns and fuels gossip.”
Speaking of gossip, there are reports of tension between Giampaolo and goalkeeper Sirigu, so he was asked if Toro should persist with the veteran or give him a break.
“There are moments when you have to reflect. At this moment, aside from our other issues, we have three games in the space of six days and this is an opportunity to reinforce the strength in depth of the squad.
“Many things are likely to change tomorrow and over the next two games, regardless of the Sirigu issue.”
Roma are fresh from a 5-1 victory away to Bologna, with all the goals scored in the first half.
“I saw their games and can safely say that compared to all the teams we’ve faced so far this season, Roma have the best qualities in possession and are the most difficult to read tactically. It’s difficult, but we have to face this game without passively accepting the value of our opponents.
“We have to be proactive, not just allow them to enjoy the possession that they thrive on. I’ve been telling my players since the first day that a team dies without possession.”