Luciano Spalletti told Roma there can be no excuses against Torino and they can’t celebrate Europa League qualification yet, but “we are all Alessandro Florenzi.”

It kicks off on Sunday at 17.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.

The first thoughts naturally go to Florenzi, the Giallorossi home-grown talent who was days away from making his comeback when rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament again in training.

Luciano Spalletti told Roma there can be no excuses against Torino and they can’t celebrate Europa League qualification yet, but “we are all Alessandro Florenzi.”

It kicks off on Sunday at 17.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.

The first thoughts naturally go to Florenzi, the Giallorossi home-grown talent who was days away from making his comeback when rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament again in training.

He’ll be out for another four to five months.

“We are all a piece of Florenzi out there with the Roma jersey,” said Spalletti. “He has donated and transferred a little bit of himself to us.

“If they allow us, tomorrow we’ll step on to the field with his name on our shirts, so Flo-Szczesny, Flo-Fazio, Flo-Peres and Flo-Spalletti.”

The Giallorossi were stunning on Thursday as they swept Villarreal aside 4-0 in Spain, but Spalletti won’t stand for complacency.

“The first leg result does change something, but we are still dealing with a strong side. What I wanted was to show we have a squad good enough to prove what it can do in all competition. We are lacking nothing and must therefore do well in every game.

“When we faced Torino earlier this season, they were in great shape and we weren’t at our best. What made the difference was the approach and that becomes fundamental.

“This is a very difficult game, but one we absolutely must win. We have no result other than victory and that has to go through the performance.

“I am disappointed when my team doesn’t do the best it possibly can. That means I’m working badly, that I’ve given them a limited idea of their own strength.

“The Villarreal game is difficult, because nowadays there’s the fashion for walls and it was rare to see our sides win 4-0 away from home in Europe, because at 2-0 they’d stop and accept the 2-0 as a valuable result.

“Sometimes we as Coaches try to find the words to motivate. They have to think beyond the wall, because you must play to win and achieve the best you can.

“We’ve given ourselves a very good chance of going through to the next round of the Europa League, but that doesn’t mean we’ve already qualified. If anyone thinks Villarreal will give us an easy second leg, they are sorely mistaken.

Milan lost to Deportivo La Coruna after winning the first leg 4-1, Villarreal kept clean sheets against Barcelona and Sevilla. They play good football.

“I want our players to have respect for their work, or others will notice. I am not angry or irritable with my team. I merely want them to do the best they can.”

Spalletti was asked about the controversy at other clubs, such as President Aurelio De Laurentiis criticising Maurizio Sarri or players irritated at being substituted.

“That is the role of a Coach now, one won’t salute you, another tells you to go to hell, the President says you got the wrong line-up, etc.

“It’s part of our job. I don’t feel very comfortable with my back to the wall, so I tend to push back a bit. I have a strong team, it is the pure unvarnished truth, and I cannot lie. My players understand straight away if I’m lying to them and I can’t tell you how embarrassing that is.”

Tuttosport have suggested Spalletti will be the next Juventus Coach if Max Allegri goes to Arsenal.

“I didn’t understand the question and don’t know what to answer, so we’ll leave that there.”

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