News Focus
- Roma qualify for the Champions League following a seven-year absence from the tournament.
- Manager Gian Piero Gasperini identifies Donyell Malen’s January transfer as a turning point for the attack.
- A 2-0 victory over relegated Hellas Verona guarantees a top-four finish for the Giallorossi.
- Promoted side Como also book their place in Europe’s elite competition, while Juventus and AC Milan miss out.
- The club recovered from a heavy defeat to Inter by winning six of their final seven matches.
Gian Piero Gasperini has revealed the secrets behind AS Roma’s return to the Champions League. The Italian tactician praised Dutch forward Donyell Malen for transforming the team’s attack after joining in January.
The Rome club needed only three points against Hellas Verona to secure a top-four position. The clash at Stadio Bentegodi proved difficult against the already-relegated hosts. Malen opened the scoring from a rebound after his penalty was saved. Paulo Dybala assisted by guiding the ball back into his path. Stephan El Shaarawy sealed the win in added time with his final goal for the club.
“It was a beautiful night, but also tough,” Gasperini told DAZN Italia. “Verona have battled strongly in recent weeks. Strange as it seems, we found it harder after they received a red card.”
The coach admitted nerves affected his players. “Maybe we felt tension. The pressure to finish the job was high. We did not create enough chances. We wasted the opportunities we had.”
Roma will compete in Europe’s top competition for the first time since 2018. They knocked out giants such as Juventus and AC Milan. Como will join them in the group stage. The team appeared to be in trouble after a big loss to Inter Milan. However, they recovered strongly to win six matches out of seven.
“This squad has worked hard from day one,” said Gasperini. “They wanted a top-level season. We began well. We convinced some doubters. Most importantly, we earned trust from our supporters. The stadium was full every week.”
He added: “The year was hard in many ways. But our bond with the fans was never broken. They pulled us forward.”
Gasperini always believed his side could reach the top four. “I watch how these players train. We lost some direct battles with rivals. Yet we felt we were improving.”
He again stressed Malen’s importance. “Malen’s signing clearly pushed us up a level. But we suffered at the same time. Dybala, Soule and Dovbyk all got injured. This left us short of strikers.”
The players held a meeting to focus their targets. “We agreed we needed six or seven straight wins to reach the Champions League. We had not done this earlier in the season. But we kept this winning streak for the perfect time.”
Gasperini also sent praise to Como. “I am genuinely delighted for them. They have played excellent football this year. They are a model for others. Their matches are enjoyable to watch.”