Roma return to Trigoria carrying the weight of the Real Madrid defeat, but Gian Piero Gasperini has chosen not to let one difficult night define the season. On the eve of Genoa’s visit, the coach acknowledged the psychological effect of Wednesday’s loss while insisting his side have shown their level for months and must respond with freedom rather than fear.
Key takeaways
- Roma face Genoa with Koné, Dybala, Svilar, Cristante and Malen all unavailable or in serious doubt.
- Gasperini identified uncertainty and poor set-piece organisation as decisive factors in Roma’s late problems against Real Madrid.
- Genoa, coached by Daniele De Rossi, were described as less gifted individually than Real Madrid but more structured as a team.
- Castro is expected to receive an important opportunity as Roma attempt to cope with a thin bench.
- Gasperini said the modern calendar demands a deeper squad, with Primavera players potentially required against Genoa.
A response required after Madrid
Gasperini addressed the atmosphere around the club after criticism of Roma’s downturn against Real Madrid, including observations previously made by José Mourinho. The Roma coach said he respected every opinion, although he suggested that outside judgments are not always useful reference points.
His clearest assessment concerned the decisive moments from corners. Until then, he felt Roma had handled the match well, but said the side showed apprehension and lost its collective organisation at set pieces. For Gasperini, that was a simpler explanation than any broader theory about the team’s limitations.
There has inevitably been an emotional consequence from the defeat, he admitted. Yet he pointed to Roma’s recent performances against Inter, Como and Real Madrid as evidence that the group possesses real quality. Circumstances can change from game to game, he noted: sometimes the squad is complete, sometimes absences intervene, and sometimes an unexpected incident such as Malen’s red card alters everything.
Rather than weakening his conviction, Gasperini said those tests had reinforced the belief that Roma can compete. He wants the players to feel able to express themselves, without prematurely framing the campaign around the Scudetto or other final objectives.
Against Genoa, Roma will need energy, character and enthusiasm. Gasperini’s view was that De Rossi’s side may not carry Real Madrid’s individual class, but they arrive with a more settled collective structure. Roma, he said, must find a way to bring the match under their control.
An emergency squad and a wider responsibility
The practical challenge is the number of absences. Koné has suffered a first-degree muscle injury, while Dybala is managing fatigue and may only be able to make the bench if his condition improves. Svilar, Cristante and Malen are also set to miss the Genoa match through injury or suspension.
Gasperini hopes Cristante can be recovered for the Napoli match or the fixture immediately after it. The lack of options places added importance on Castro, who did not feature at Como after Roma were reduced to 10 men and then found the Real Madrid match unfolding in a different direction. The coach nevertheless described him as a player of value and indicated that Genoa should offer him a meaningful chance.
Roma’s manager rejected the suggestion that his team suffer simple “blackouts” in major matches. He argued that games can turn when opponents introduce fresh decisive players, pointing to Endrick’s impact in the Real Madrid encounter. Roma must be capable of reacting when they concede, he said, because the issue is not physical collapse but retaining the organisation and strength to put things right. That structure, in his view, failed on the sequence that produced the 3-2 scoreline.
With another match arriving quickly, Gasperini sees the fixture as an immediate opportunity to recover mentally. He also stressed that substitutions are unavoidable across a demanding schedule, particularly after the exertion of playing with 10 men at Como. Roma must broaden their resources, he said, because a side involved in so many competitions needs more than a basic group of 20 players.
Football has changed, Gasperini argued, and clubs either adapt to those demands or suffer from them. He said he has received encouraging answers from the players so far, but now expects the level to rise across the entire group. His only major concern before Genoa is the shortage of replacements, with several Primavera players potentially in line for a debut.
There were encouraging individual notes amid the broader concern. Gasperini praised Mora’s progress and described De Roon as highly motivated after a difficult personal decision, saying his recent goal was deserved recognition for a consistently dependable player. Pellegrini, meanwhile, is regaining fitness but still needs to rebuild some physical strength.
The message from Trigoria was firm: Roma have been bruised, not redirected. Genoa offer the next test of whether that conviction can become a result on Sunday afternoon.
