Ranieri's words after Tottenham-Roma

Here are the words of the Giallorossi coach.

The match was thrilling, and spine-tingling, something Roma hadn’t done in a long time. Perhaps tonight you went well beyond just the performance.

A: "Yes, the boys put in a great game. I wasn’t happy with the match against Napoli. Sure, we defended, but I don’t like defending. We needed to respond blow for blow, and that wasn’t the message I wanted to send to the team and the fans. Today, I told them: ‘Maybe I didn’t make myself clear in Naples. I don’t want a team that sits back; I want a team that always goes on the attack. If they make a move, we need to make one too. I believe every fan of every team loves a team that tries to win. Whether you succeed or not is another story, but a team that just sits back is not my style.’ So, I was very clear with each of them about what they needed to do. And they understood; they responded brilliantly, and never gave up. The result matters, but I told them, ‘I want the fans to see your performance. I want them to see that you’re here, that you’re good, that you couldn’t have forgotten how to play football.’"

What can you say about Hummels? Right at the start, he made a mistake, but then responded like a champion.

A: "Yes, that’s one of those moments only VAR can catch. I haven’t seen it yet. If the referee let the play continue, it must have been a normal incident. These are people with incredible experience. He was a key figure at the back, providing security, and pressing high, and he’s still not in peak condition. I believe this guy can’t just do well but do exceptionally well in Roma’s defense. The fans will be thrilled to have rediscovered the champion they admired in Germany."

Roma needed to see this team. Are you now ready to take a few more risks on the pitch? This was a game that could have had plenty of goals, even for Tottenham.

A: "That’s what I asked for. I didn’t care about the result; I wanted the lads to go all out, using every resource until the end. They have incredible sprinters. I complimented their coach—I like the spirit of his team and the mentality he’s instilled; they always try to win. We did well, often switching the direction of our attack, even if we weren’t as precise in delivering the final ball until we managed to do so."

Can this performance help you for the future? And how is Dybala?

A: "I don’t believe one swallow makes a summer. We have to work hard. Only by working hard can we deliver good performances and results. This match is important because it showed they haven’t forgotten how to play football. As for Dybala, he’s trained very little over the last 20 days. One half was more than enough. He’ll gradually regain his fitness and minutes. I didn’t want to take any risks with him. He did well in the first half—the goalkeeper made a fantastic save—but that’s fine for now."

Who knows if could this game be the St. Peter’s bell ringing?

A: "Let’s hope so…".