Luciano Spalletti says striker Edin Dzeko is 'essential to Roma' and expects Empoli will be an 'extremely difficult' opponent.
It kicks off tomorrow at 17:00 GMT. The Giallorossi are on a streak of five consecutive wins, to the point that some suggest they should aim higher than the third place.
Coach Spalletti, however, disagreed with planning that far ahead.
“We have to concentrate on Empoli,” he told the Press. “They play well and they're among the best in the championship.
Luciano Spalletti says striker Edin Dzeko is 'essential to Roma' and expects Empoli will be an 'extremely difficult' opponent.
It kicks off tomorrow at 17:00 GMT. The Giallorossi are on a streak of five consecutive wins, to the point that some suggest they should aim higher than the third place.
Coach Spalletti, however, disagreed with planning that far ahead.
“We have to concentrate on Empoli,” he told the Press. “They play well and they're among the best in the championship.
“Empoli play with the same quality and style on every pitch. [Marco] Giampaolo proved that he is a truly great Coach, his team has a lot of points and perhaps deserved even more. My compliments.
“Besides I have strong bonds with Empoli, where I finished my career as a player, and in particular with President [Fabrizio] Corsi.
“He was helped by some excellent directors who know football well and understand how to create the right incentives. It'll be a pleasure to meet them tomorrow, but they'll be an extremely difficult opponent.
“They play well, they run a lot and they have extraordinary quality. Analyse five of their games and you'll see that.”
Spalletti was then asked about striker Edin Dzeko, who recently ended his goal-scoring drought and last Sunday had a brace against Palermo.
“Dzeko is essential because he makes us complete. With him we have not just quality but physicality, and the strength to shoot it in.
“I think he's on the right path. People notice the great goals like that of [Mohamed] Salah against Palermo, but sacrifice is more difficult to see.
“[Kevin] Strootman's return may allow [Miralem] Pjanic to play further ahead, even though he likes to track back and ask for the ball, because he's too easy to mark if he's up ahead on his own.
“If you look at [Barcelona's Leo] Messi, you give him the ball and he gives it back, he runs, he plays again, but mainly he doesn't stay still. Obviously he's Messi, the strongest of them all, but he too likes to track back and call for the ball.
“If you get the ball after some time, then you're less likely to pass it. If the ball has to journey looking for players that stand still, it all becomes more difficult.”