"SOMETHING IS MISSING": GIAN PIERO GASPERINI’S BLUNT ADMISSION AFTER ROMA’S LATEST BIG-MATCH DEFEAT TODAY
Gian Piero Gasperini remains hopeful despite Roma's 2-1 loss to Juventus, citing a "solid base" for the Giallorossi’s future.
Gian Piero Gasperini admits Roma struggles in big matches and they're obviously missing something compared to Juventus, but says they have some good stuff going on to build for the future.
It was another letdown for the Giallorossi in a big game this season, though at least Tommaso Baldanzi got a late goal back after all those 1-0 losses.
Francisco Conceicao's shot and a Lois Openda score after Mile Svilar's save on Weston McKennie were the goals against a changed defense.
Gasperini is staying hopeful after Roma's defeat.
We messed up too many passes when attacking. Otherwise, we had what we needed to make more chances, Gasperini told Sky Sport Italia.
We had more energy at the end, but we still lacked accuracy. We know that. I would also point to how well a lot of players did who don't normally start, and they were up against a strong Juventus team.
Roma should feel good tonight because there's a solid base here to make a great team. I think we can do well.”
Mario Hermoso and Artem Dovbyk were injured, and Evan Ndicka and Neil El Aynaoui were at the Africa Cup of Nations. Jan Ziolkowski got only his third start for the club, and Devyne Rensch filled in the back three to cover the gaps.
“We played Kenan Yildiz and Francisco Conceicao. "They know how to take players on and run into space," said Gasperini.
“Sadly, we let in a goal right at the end of the first half but didn't allow much until then. Once we were down, Juventus had more space to play in. But overall, it was a good showing, mostly from guys like Rensch and Ziolkowski who haven’t played a lot. With this base, we can do well.”
Roma didn't seem to have much bite on offense. Paulo Dybala in the False 9 role and Matias Soulé didn't do much, so why didn't Evan Ferguson in the attack?
“Ferguson still isn't winning me over, even in the second half today. It's not just his skills. He and some other new signings still haven’t really fit into the team, Gasperini stated.
“We have a very sound team. Sure, tonight Dybala and Soule didn't get the service they needed, but their skill is way above the others. I’d make the same choices if I had to do it again.
Leon Bailey came on as a sub but limped off again 20 minutes later with another muscle issue.
Roma's record in the big games is awful, and it's starting to hurt their spot in the standings.
“It’s true we've lost many of these head-to-head games, but we beat Como, Bologna, and Lazio—teams right behind us. If you lose three or four of these games, it means you're missing something compared to those teams, Gasperini admitted.
“Still, there's a strong club backing us, we have a good base, and we weren't outplayed in any of these games. We only started this plan a few months ago, so we need to continue focusing on the base to build a great future for Roma.”
This result means Roma are still in fourth, but only one point ahead of Juventus, and could fall further behind the top three when they get back from Supercoppa Italiana commitments to play their Serie A Week 16 games in January.
THE 2028 VISION: UNEARTHING THE LONG-TERM BLUEPRINT TO KEEP LUCIANO SPALLETTI IN TURIN
Juventus are going all-in on Luciano Spalletti: Read about the 2028 contract offer, the Galatasaray fallout, and Serie A top-four hopes.
Juventus isn’t wasting any time. Even after crashing out of the Champions League against Galatasaray, they’re pushing hard to lock Luciano Spalletti into a long-term deal. The board just wrapped up a few important contract renewals, and now they want to keep Spalletti around until 2028. The goal? Give the club some real direction and stability while they turn their focus fully to domestic trophies and building for the future.
They’re not just thinking about Spalletti, either. Juventus has already nailed down new contracts for Kenan Yildiz, Carlo Pinsoglio, and Weston McKennie. Talks are rolling with captain Manuel Locatelli and Dusan Vlahovic, too. The message from the top is loud and clear: Spalletti, who only arrived at the end of October, is at the centre of everything now. His short-term deal is up in June, but the club wants him to lead the rebuild.
It’s not just talk. The board is pushing for a two-year extension – no more flirting; this is a full-court press. Spalletti has managed 27 games so far, picked up 14 wins, and drawn seven. The recent Champions League exit stings, but it hasn’t changed the club’s mind. They want him to sign on for two more years, aiming for a handshake by mid-March and then the paperwork soon after. Champions League qualification didn’t factor into their decision at all. Meetings could even happen this week if things move fast.
For Spalletti, it’s not just about the money. He wants to build something real in Turin, especially after that wild 7-5 defeat to Galatasaray. Even with a 3-2 win in the second leg after leading 3-0, only to have everything fall apart after Lloyd Kelly’s red card, the ending was brutal. Extra-time goals from Victor Osimhen and Baris Yilmaz finished the job, and Juventus’s European hopes went up in smoke.
Now, both Spalletti and the club want to settle things quickly. He wants a clear plan for the future and some new signings, and he’s expected to earn between €4 million and €5 million a year. For him, the project on the pitch comes first.
With 11 games left in Serie A and the top four still up for grabs, Juventus needs a lift after their European letdown. Right now, they’re 6th with 47 points, just behind Como, Roma, and Napoli. It’s tight, but the club sees Spalletti as the right man for the job.
The big conversations ahead will focus on squad building and investments. By tying down both the coach and several core players before summer, Juventus is trying to set up a united front ahead of the transfer window. They’re betting that experience and a clear plan can get them back where they want to be.
THE MCTOMINAY VOID: WHY NAPOLI STATISTICALLY STRUGGLE WHENEVER THEIR SCOTTISH STAR IS SIDELINED
With Scott McTominay sidelined by tendon inflammation, Napoli relied on a late Lukaku strike to keep their top-four hopes alive.
Napoli finally got a win without Scott McTominay, thanks to a wild stoppage-time goal against bottom-of-the-table Hellas Verona on Saturday. It’s the first time all season they’ve managed a victory without him.
McTominay missed his fourth straight game for Gli Azzurri. He’s been out since aggravating an injury in that 3-2 win over Genoa back on February 7. Right now, Napoli aren’t taking any risks with their star midfielder. He’s still dealing with tendon inflammation between his hamstring and groin, which has kept him from really training at full speed.
There’s talk in Italy that McTominay could be back for the Torino match on Friday. Scotland manager Steve Clarke has his fingers crossed, hoping his 29-year-old midfielder will be fit in time for friendlies against Japan and the Ivory Coast later this month. That’s when Scotland’s World Cup prep really kicks off.
Napoli have looked lost without McTominay. They hadn’t won any of the four games he missed, including a 1-0 loss to Torino back in October when he was out with an ankle strain.
But they finally broke that bad run in Verona. Romelu Lukaku came off the bench and buried a huge winner in the 95th minute, after Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro had cancelled out Rasmus Hojlund’s early goal for Napoli.
The win keeps Napoli third in Serie A. They’re 14 points behind Inter Milan, so the title is probably out of reach, but they’re still fighting for a Champions League spot.
McTominay wasn’t the only Scot involved. There were actually two Scotland internationals on the pitch at the Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium. Kieron Bowie played the whole game for Verona and nearly put his team ahead just minutes before Lukaku’s winner. The former Hibs man, who netted his old club a £7 million transfer fee in January, got on the end of a deep cross. Napoli’s keeper Alex Meret missed it, but Bowie, stretching at a tight angle, couldn’t steer the ball home. It rolled right across the empty goal.
Things went from bad to worse for Bowie. Moments later, he was marking Lukaku in the Verona box. The Belgian shrugged him off and slotted in the winning goal. Another tough blow for Verona, who are now bottom of the table, nine points from safety with 11 games left, and they’ve played a game more than everyone they’re chasing.
Billy Gilmour also got a run for Napoli, coming on with Lukaku in the 73rd minute. He earned praise from the Italian media for giving Napoli a late boost. This was only his second appearance off the bench since coming back from nearly four months out with a groin injury. He also played in the 2-2 draw against Roma on February 15.
