Rudi Garcia rules Daniele De Rossi out until mid-October, but asserts that Roma’s squad is well equipped for this wave of injuries.
The Giallorossi have lost Juan Iturbe, Davide Astori and their vice-captain to injuries all within a matter of a few days.
Rudi Garcia rules Daniele De Rossi out until mid-October, but asserts that Roma’s squad is well equipped for this wave of injuries.
The Giallorossi have lost Juan Iturbe, Davide Astori and their vice-captain to injuries all within a matter of a few days.
Whilst confirming that De Rossi is likely to miss upcoming games with Manchester City and Juventus with a calf injury, the capital club’s Coach still has faith in his squad’s depth.
“De Rossi is an important player, but now we have to take care of him,” began Garcia to reporters today.
“We will wait until after the international break to avoid the risk. In midfield we have other options.
“The run of injuries? I don’t know if this sort of thing has happened before, but it can happen. It is for this reason that we have built a big squad, for the many commitments that we face.
“In French we like to say ‘The law of series’, one gets hurt, then a second and then consecutively a third and sometimes fourth.
“We have a big squad, I am confident that the players will give their best and that the level of the team will not change.”
It was put to the Frenchman that this is a psychologically decisive period of the season, for the number of games coming up and the situation his squad are facing.
“The difference between last year and this is that we are playing every three days. You have to sleep well and be careful with nutrition and hydration.
“We have experienced players but also youngsters, so it is important to give advice.
“How can it be a decisive moment when we are only facing a fourth game in Serie A and a second one in the Champions League?
“We are focused on Parma, we will push on, whilst I believe that how we work must not harm the team – anything can happen in a game, but we should be making calculations for other games.”
Garcia discussed further the differences between last year and this.
“This is no longer the same squad, we have spent a year in each other’s company, in addition to the games played together.
“This squad has improved, they have shown a lot of maturity, especially in the last game with Cagliari, where with a two-goal lead they managed the game.
“I am the one who always says that we should always focus on just the next game, as we have to put into the field the same ingredients each time, without thinking about the other games.
“The team must always show the same desire to win that has been there from the start of the season.”
Next on the calendar is tomorrow’s trip to Parma.
“We are away to Parma, who are a team that always plays well. They have scored many goals and also conceded a few. For us, this will be a game to face like every other.
“We are going to Parma to win, knowing that it is a difficult place to win at, but that we must be ready to give everything on the pitch.”
Mattia Destro reacted poorly after being substituted at the weekend, throwing his bib on the ground.
“I spoke to Destro, but what I say with the group is for me and the dressing room, it is an episode.”