Walter Sabatini admits Roma lost something on the pitch against Bayern Munich, but assures that it will return in time.
The Giallorossi’s dip in form of late has been put down in part to the psychological impact of last autumn’s heavy 7-1 defeat to the Bundesliga side in the Champions League group stage.
Talking to the media today, the club’s sporting director was asked if Coach Rudi Garcia had gotten his strategy wrong.
Walter Sabatini admits Roma lost something on the pitch against Bayern Munich, but assures that it will return in time.
The Giallorossi’s dip in form of late has been put down in part to the psychological impact of last autumn’s heavy 7-1 defeat to the Bundesliga side in the Champions League group stage.
Talking to the media today, the club’s sporting director was asked if Coach Rudi Garcia had gotten his strategy wrong.
“Garcia's strategy was to keep a low guard and influence his adversary. He thought he'd win the game with a trick,” Sabatini considered in today’s Press conference.
“The first game against Bayern left us feeling uneasy. We faced a team that was largely stronger, and suffered a disproportionate defeat. At that point the team lost something.
“Before that there was an idea of mutual assistance on the pitch and never in his life could [Arjen] Robben have gone down without the Roma players doubling up on him.
“I took that as a sign of a change in the motivations of some players. Sometimes you lose the will to conquer a result by any means necessary.
“All of this will come back, the real problem is how to minimise the time until it does, getting back that general esteem that lets us think of our teammate as the best player on the pitch, and the best player on the pitch has to be helped.
“The Coach talked of the Scudetto with my consent and the club's. But to talk of the Scudetto you have to defend second position.
“It won't elude us because it's a fixed point for the Presidency and we're sure he [Garcia] will make it.
“We are on a path that we don't consider to be complete yet. We're still asking for something important to be done, while defending second place.
“These lads have to be Roma's players for today and for tomorrow. But tomorrow gives no certainties, so I may have to find alternatives.
“Take Maicon, who was accused yesterday of being the weak spot, but at the end of the first half he caused some real problems for Fiorentina.
“In the second half his level fell, he took a blow that conditioned him, and he was victim to a good counter.
“Then we were victim of an ugly cross which turned into an incredibly unfortunate pinball. We know we can go ahead without him.
“If necessary we have the alternative of Torosidis, a reliable player. The Coach was able to adapt [Alessandro] Florenzi too, with some good results.”