Roma suffered a setback against Como at the Sinigaglia Stadium, relinquishing three vital points.
After taking an early lead with a goal from the ever-reliable Donyell Malen, the Giallorossi found themselves trailing 2-1 and temporarily outside the Champions League spots.
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The battle for fourth place has become increasingly challenging for Gian Piero Gasperini’s side, who shared his thoughts with Sky Sport after the match.
Addressing Wesley’s red card, the Giallorossi coach stated, “I’d rather not dwell on it. There’s nothing overtly wrong with it; it doesn’t even connect properly—it even moves slightly. Did it change the course of the game? Certainly. This isn’t the first time Como has had such situations, which sometimes seem exaggerated. I’ll refrain from elaborating; I’ve discussed this before.”
Despite the loss, Gasperini commended his players: “These guys continuously give their all, even under duress, including Hermoso. Others too. We recognize we’re in a pivotal moment, but I can’t criticize these players for anything.”
He further addressed refereeing decisions: “We’ve been facing challenges: in Genoa, there was a clear penalty in our favor that went uncalled, leading to a loss, and something similar occurred today. We need to persevere. We recognize that we have another crucial match on Thursday, followed by another on Sunday before the break. The season is still long, with nine games remaining. What we haven’t achieved in the past two matches may still be possible between April and May.”
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Gasperini touched upon Wesley’s red card again while speaking with DAZN: “I’ve seen it all before and commented on similar situations previously, but it’s futile to analyze this aspect of the game, especially when it comes to simulations. This is a challenging episode, like the equalizer we conceded, as we knew they were adept at making those cuts and handling the goalkeeper’s long balls, which we had defended well.”
Finally, the coach discussed the fitness concerns regarding Malen and Zeki Celik: “Are we dependent on Malen? We certainly rely on him… If he continues to have chances like this, it shows the team is performing well in creating opportunities. As for Celik’s injury, it appears to be a calf problem. We hope it was just the start of cramping, as he’s a versatile player for us. I might have shifted him to a defensive role. We’re hopeful for his recovery by Thursday, though we haven’t confirmed anything yet.”