ROME (ITALPRESS) – “The goal is to do well in the game against Milan. We know that they haven’t lost in 12 games at home. If I remember correctly, since October against Napoli. Since Conceicao arrived in nine games they have made five wins, two draws and two defeats. In short, we go to find a team full of talent, full of champions and we go there with our desire to do well and try to pass the round. This is normal. It’s not that we go there to have a day out of Rome. We go there with the knowledge that we are facing a great team and we will try to play our game.” Thus Roma coach Claudio Ranieri in an exclusive interview with “SportMediaset” on the eve of the Coppa Italia quarterfinal against AC Milan. “It will be a difficult match however we are ready to face a great team,” the Testaccio coach continued, “Milan can do everything, they can explode, they can play in attack, they have players that have quality that move a lot, that can cross so we expect a difficult game and we are preparing for a difficult game. To Roma’s market, Ranieri gives “a good grade, we could not move because of the Financial Fair Play, however, I have to give kudos to Ghisolfi (the Giallorossi’s ds, ed.) because he managed to find good players, for whom I gave the okay and I am convinced that they will soon settle in our league.” His is a judgment both as a coach and a manager: “Yes, certainly, the two guys (Salah-Eddine and Gourna-Douath, ed.) we got are super convinced. Nelsson we took on loan, he is a good scorer, determined, a Danish national, so we have the opportunity to see him for these five months.” Among the fans, however, there is a lot of puzzlement after the so-called repair market: “I understand, but if we cannot spend the money because if not then we meet very specific regulations, what do we do? Do we spend money and then stay two or three years out of Europe because we went over? We had certain economic situations that we had to meet and we met them. As far as what could be done was fine. It seems to me that these guys have risen in high regard in the fan base. I also believe that finding replacements for these champions was not easy in such a market, so I am satisfied with what we did.” The search for a new coach is currently ‘frozen’: “I’m not searching for him at all. I am super focused on what we have to do. Then we will go and see what we have done. And then we will ask, we will see, we will make X number of names, like they do in England. There will be certain names and then we will go and look for the one that suits us.” “Ancelotti? I read, but every day something new comes out, right? Now we have put aside Farioli and Ancelotti is coming, in a week there will be someone else. I understand that each of you has to do a job, so there is writing, talking, and it is right to be like that. We are focused on our work.” The name of the new Giallorossi coach will not come out soon: “It will wait until the end of the season, because if you have seen, if you know me and then the Friedkins, nothing ever comes out. All the rumors that come out don’t come from us. So you can write and say anything and they will never be those.” Roma will play in its stadium in 2028, as was said during the Federcalcio Assembly. “That’s what we all hope for. If the final signatures come, we are ready. It’s a very realistic project and for the first time I’m starting to believe in it myself.” Returning to the match with AC Milan, Roma is fresh from the tiring match against Napoli: “How are Konè and El Shaarawy? They are all fine, we have entered a loop of matches every three or four days and I need the whole squad of players, whom I trust completely.” Roma, even against Napoli, showed they never give up: “It was my belief when I was a player and I try to pass it on to my players. I accept defeat but after they ran and fought like never before for the whole game. Then, everyone has to be satisfied, anyway mistakes will always be there: referees, coaches and players make them, so I don’t care about that. But the awareness of having to give everything in every moment of the game, that is a characteristic of the man. And I want men who do that. And of this team, I am enjoying the fact that we are slowly succeeding in making our fans proud. This is the thing that will make me most satisfied at the end of my journey.” On the fact that important players like Dybala and Paredes are staying did not surprise Ranieri: “Honestly, I never had any doubts. Let’s go back to what we were talking about before, you have to sell some product. We sell our of product and you, media, sell yours.”- Photo Ipa Agency -(ITALPRESS).
