The coach after the victory in the derby: “I had spoken to Lorenzo, he remains among the best. After this first round we can’t do anything wrong anymore”
Five derbies won out of five and the now established role of savior of Roma. Claudio Ranieri wins the derby again and brings the Giallorossi definitively out of the crisis. The victory against the very fast Lazio takes Dybala and his companions away from the safety zone and allows them to breathe a light European air again. The coach, as the team returned to the field to celebrate again with the curve, beamed at the microphones: “Now we are a team, we know how to help each other and keep the distance between the departments. After this first round we can no longer make mistakes and show that we are there. We have to show that we passed the night, now I expect a great match in Bologna. It would be terrible not to replicate this performance.” No one in Rome had ever won 5 out of 5 derbies in a row. “The derby takes on itself – adds Sir Claudio -. There is no need to add extra things. I just try to keep the kids calm, maybe that’s the secret. I told Baroni that I was sorry for his first derby, but above all for the ending with the fight. We shouldn’t have ended it like this.”
THE PELLEGRINI MOVE
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The move to relaunch Lorenzo Pellegrini on his most difficult day deserves applause. The captain responded with a great performance and the opening goal. “Yesterday I spoke to him and I understood that he had a mad desire to be the captain in the derby – explains Ranieri -. He didn’t ask me to play, but I understood what he wanted. I told him that he didn’t get in well in Milan but that he would play today. And I expected a great performance from him, I felt it. He is one of the best midfielders in front of goal, he has goals in his blood. I understood that the desire went where I wanted it.” Ranieri then focuses on other singles: “Paredes, Dybala and Hummels? It seemed natural to me to put the champions that Roma have back on the pitch and in their role. Everyone had to be filled with ambition, but this team has quality.” He smiles about the future: “I am available to stay here as coach until June, then God will see and provide. They always call me in problematic conditions, I put on my helmet and do my best. I am demanding with myself and I am demanding with the players.”
MANCINI AND SAELEMAEKERS
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At the end of the match Mancini and Saelemaekers also celebrated. “Seeing the fans happy is the best thing. We needed this victory, we know it’s always three points but it was important to give ourselves this joy. We deserved it. We did little in the first half of the season, now we really have to change things. The boost from the derby must push us up the rankings. Pilgrims? I saw him suffer, he is a close friend of mine. I am very happy for him”, the defender’s words.
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