Juric reacts to Inter defeat

Here’s what he had to say…

What’s your assessment of the defeat and what are Roma missing in order to make that next step forward in terms of development?

“We were fearful at the start and I didn’t enjoy the first 15 minutes. We then played really well up until their goal, which was a mistake that you pay dearly for in these kinds of games. We performed well for large parts of the game, creating chances that we were unable to take.

“We made too many technical mistakes, gifting them a goal, which is unfortunate in games like this because the team produced a really good display. We certainly need to raise the level of quality in the final third and be even more dangerous. It’s never easy against Inter, but I think we managed to limit them in almost all areas. It was a serious performance by us, so it’s a big shame.”

We saw that Paulo Dybala was very focused defensively, almost man-marking Alessandro Bastoni. For a top player like him, doesn’t that sort of sacrifice make him less effective at what he does best?

“I agree. This is a good example of how much hard work is needed (NB DAZN shows a defensive recovery by Dybala). There are moments when players need to swap roles. It’s clear that when you have new players like [Manu] Kone, it can be hard to interpret certain situations. We need to limit the long defensive runs by swapping positions. The whole team showed incredible commitment, however. That’s when you need to switch positions and do less running, but you get to that point by knowing the league and everything well.” 

How do you plan to rebuild the atmosphere?

“The only way is through results. That’s why I’m so sorry about this evening. The fans were so pleased with many things, but we do need to get results. All the rest is just chatter. The way the players applied themselves and the way they played was fantastic. Everyone put in a real shift. I’m convinced that we keep doing what we’re doing, we’ll pick up results. That’s the situation. We all need to stick together, especially those who were booed, be strong and focus on playing well. I think it was a great display against Inter. Roma hadn’t played like that against Inter in a long time. We need results and the situation will change.”