Luciano Spalletti insists Roma “had the performance I wanted to see” against Lyon and must remember that when hosting Sassuolo.
It kicks off on Sunday at 19.45 GMT, click here for a match preview.
This is their first game since crashing out of the Europa League to Lyon, as a 2-1 home win was unable to make up for the 4-2 first leg defeat.
Luciano Spalletti insists Roma “had the performance I wanted to see” against Lyon and must remember that when hosting Sassuolo.
It kicks off on Sunday at 19.45 GMT, click here for a match preview.
This is their first game since crashing out of the Europa League to Lyon, as a 2-1 home win was unable to make up for the 4-2 first leg defeat.
“I saw good intentions to put things back on track after a defeat like that. There are many blows to evaluate and see how things go. Edin Dzeko had this knock, a few others got bruised, but for the moment there are no particular injuries,” said the Coach in his Press conference.
“In my view you need to be objective and tell players the truth. You have to be realistic and analyse what happened.
“It was one of those days where you get up and have the feeling you’ve lost everything, that you are empty-handed and might even decide to leave the light off in the bathroom to avoid looking in the mirror. Those days hurt.
“But then you analyse the situation correctly and realise the game showed we’ve got everything. Because that was the performance we needed, that was where the bar must be raised and Roma deserved to go through. That was the performance I wanted to see and they did it.
“The result is a different matter, and it knocks the wind out of you, but we must be realistic. This is the level of football we can play at against such a strong side as Lyon. If you have 25 shots on target, which is a record, it means the team did well.
“We just allowed something towards the end on the counter-attack when we perhaps got swept up in the idea of how long there was to go. We lost the ball due to haste.
“Barcelona beat Paris Saint-Germain 6-1, but they had fewer shots than Roma did to beat Lyon 2-1. I therefore say Roma did well and I hope my lads can play as well in the next matches, because that would keep us in Europe for next season and that’s what it’s all about, getting another chance, proving you are mentally strong and can overcome those difficult moments.
“Looking at the players, they did feel that they had lost everything in that locker room, but we try to be that team again tomorrow night. It won’t be easy, but I see the look in their eyes. They wanted to go out and do the warm-down training session, nobody stayed back to rest, and these are fundamental details, because it means these lads are ready and strong.
“They have to be strong for Roma and with a fanbase like the Roma supporters.”
Sassuolo finished sixth last season and entered the Europa League, but are now struggling in the bottom half of the table.
“Eusebio Di Francesco has remarkable quality and last term had an extraordinary campaign beyond all expectations. He had some difficulties and those injuries were abnormal, but the squad remains strong. It’s not easy to keep Sassuolo at that level with European games to play as well.
“They have players we eyed up, like Gregoire Defrel, and internationals like Domenico Berardi. They worked on this style of football for two years and have a very attacking approach. They aren’t showing all their potential right now, but it’s there.”