Roma director Walter Sabatini took the blame for their Europa League defeat, but said “resigning now would be like running away.”
The Giallorossi have crashed out of the Champions League, Coppa Italia and now Europa League, while their Serie A lead in second place has been cut to one point.
Roma director Walter Sabatini took the blame for their Europa League defeat, but said “resigning now would be like running away.”
The Giallorossi have crashed out of the Champions League, Coppa Italia and now Europa League, while their Serie A lead in second place has been cut to one point.
“I heard some very serious things from the fans tonight, but we are responsible for this group of players and I remain proud of them even if they are going through a difficult time,” director of sport Sabatini told Mediaset Premium.
“We must protect our lads and the last objective that remains, second place, is the most important thing right now.
“We realise the fans were already tense, but we have to look at what the team tried to do. The energy in this game reassures me, then of course it’s time to identity responsibility and understand it.
“This team tonight paid for the mistakes I made. I have to acknowledge that and the Coach paid for my errors too.
“I made a mistake in January. The team needed reinforcements in attack and I made choices that didn’t immediately produce results, so the squad felt that absence.”
Sabatini was criticised for choosing Seydou Doumbia – who was taking part in the Africa Cup of Nations – rather than Mohamed Salah.
“Salah is a player to be regretted and another mistake that I made. It is easy to accuse yourself without secondary effects, but what I say now will still be valid in future.
“I will not resign now, as it would be like running away and I am not someone who does that. I’ll think of the points the team has lost, at the consequences of that and we’ll see over the next few months.”