Fonseca: We have to finish as high as we can

Coach Paulo Fonseca faced the media on Saturday afternoon, in order to preview the upcoming Serie A meeting with Crotone.

The Giallorossi are back in action at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday evening - with kick-off at 18:00 CEST.

Here's what Fonseca had to say going into this contest...

Would you agree that this team needs three of four top-level signings in order to compete for the Champions League places next season?

“I won’t be the coach of Roma then, it’s not fair for me to make that sort of judgement. I cannot talk about the future, given that I will not be here at Roma. This season, we have missed some important players at key points.”

What are your thoughts on the muscle injuries the club seems to be continuing to have?

“I can only talk about my two seasons here, not anything before. This season we did not have great problems with those sort of injuries until about March. Yes, we had the situations with Zaniolo and Chris Smalling, but those were not muscle problems.

“In March, with so many games in such a short space of time and so many of the same players always playing, then these things can happen. And then with so many games and so little recovery time it is only going to happen more. As I’ve said before, this has happened to other teams in Europe too. I remember Bayern Munich missing seven players for a game against Paris Saint-Germain, for example. I think that especially in a strange year like this one, with Covid, it was always going to happen to some extent.”

Will Ebrima Darboe start tomorrow?

“Yes, he’ll start the game.”

Over your time here you have given chances to the likes of Darboe, Riccardo Calafiori and Nicola Zalewski – which is the next young player we might see coming through?

“Others have played games as well, like Filippo Tripi and Tommaso Milanese. The Primavera have a number of players who are working hard, who have trained with the first team and have the chance to reach that level. But it would be unfair of me to single out a specific name. The Primavera has a number of players well-prepared for the first-team.”

Could you once again play with an extra central midfielder over the coming games?

“Yes. We’ll see how things go game-by-game, but it’s a possibility. And we have to take into account which players will be available too.”

Have the board asked you to finish in the top-seven, to ensure European football next season?

“The board don’t need to ask anything. We know that we need to do everything that we can in order to finish as high up the table as possible.”

What is the biggest motivation going into these final four games?

“Whoever plays for Roma always needs to do play to win. We need to represent the club to the best of our ability and always play with ambition.”

How much have Darboe and Zalewski improved as a result of working regularly with the first team squad?

“It’s important to train with the first-team, to learn our approach. But I need to say that there has been a great link with the Primavera, which has allowed us to have these players join us ready to help the first-team.

"Their coach [Alberto De Rossi] and my staff have worked really well together. The progress of these young players is not just down to us, but down to those coaching the Primavera as well.”

How many injured players will you have back after Thursday's game against Manchester United?

“I don’t think we will have any back for this one. But I hope to have two or three back for the game against Inter Milan.”