After the Como-Roma 0-0 match, Gian Piero Gasperini spoke to DAZN.
“I think Dybala was extraordinary, even when he came to clean up some situations in the second half. It wasn’t easy being down to ten men. I think he, like his teammates, played a very solid game.”
“I don’t remember any turnovers; on the contrary, he seemed to be strong again. It’s a shame about that situation in the first half, where he could have scored. However, he put in an extraordinary performance today as well.”
“Dybala as the lone striker? Malen came out, and it was the natural solution with those players on the pitch. But what he was doing convinced me, because he started to catalyze several balls, giving us breathing space and the chance to get out. There were a few situations that, by a hair’s breadth, could have even led to a dangerous counterattack. He was consistent for the entire 90 minutes.”
“Of course, it wasn’t easy. He was the one, if you like, slightly penalized, because he had to move between Como’s two central defenders, but he did it with great intelligence and great quality, like a true player who knows the game.”
“Unfortunately, I have to say that in the first half we had some excellent scoring opportunities. Como also had a couple of important ones, but I think we gave the impression we could take the lead. It’s clear that if you play 30 minutes of 90 minutes with ten men, it means you’ve played two-thirds of the game against a strong team like Como with an even number of men.”
“This is our disappointment, because I clearly don’t know how the match would have ended, but it seemed to me that we were fairly confident we had a good chance. So we were forced to defend, and we did so with great clarity and order. It’s clear that when you play 30 minutes with ten men, you come away with a draw, and that’s fine too.”
“Gollini? He was undoubtedly also good at throwing passes, both with his feet and his hands, especially in the first half. It’s clear that the team also put him in a position to play this way. He was attentive and precise, however. The team put him in a position where he didn’t have to make any major saves, but he’s a goalkeeper who will be a great replacement for Svilar.”
On Real Madrid: “It’s clear that when I look at Real Madrid, I see a team of incredible champions, both on the pitch and on the bench. We’re facing one of the strongest teams in Europe, who have also had an extraordinary transfer window this year. José has left an extraordinary memory and love for this coach. Now, however, ours is a different kind of team, very different from the one that played under Mourinho, even though not so many years have passed. It’s a team that is giving me great satisfaction, because even today you really needed great morale, great condition, and also a very big heart to play like this in Como.”
“Now, saying Malen played violently is truly difficult to sustain. He had a surge after being held back, and undoubtedly tried to intervene, even touching the ball. But, truly, what’s ugly is the jump. There’s no intention on Malen’s part, it’s absolutely not in his nature. It was definitely an incident that ruined the match. It was a beautiful match, and so it became a little less beautiful. I understand that, by freezing the frame like that, it’s very easy to judge, but football isn’t made of frames. Football is made of actions, because that way you can justify everything. There’s no will or determination on Malen’s part to inflict harm. So the concept is important. It’s time to stop with frames, because they truly distort reality. Unfortunately, we’ve been suffering from this for years. Now, finally, this year we’re able to see a more authentic form of football. Please, let’s not go back to these absurd frames.”
