Claudio Ranieri reacts to victory against Udinese

Here’s what the coach had to say…

Lorenzo Pellegrini mentioned that it was too hot in the dressing room and the team was overly fired up. How did you motivate the players at half time?

 “They were already fired up after the match in the Netherlands because we played well there but didn’t get anything to show for it. We came here with that anger and determination to end this streak of winless away games. The players returned to the pitch waiting for Udinese because they wanted to show that we were ready for the second half.”

Today you changed formation two or three times during the match. In such tactical situations, a player like Devyne Rensch, who’s just arrived, becomes vital for a coach. What impact has he made and what have you made of him?

“It wasn’t easy for him because he’s only been here for three days and has had just two light training sessions with everyone, but I already knew him well. He’s a lad who applies himself well, has good timing in terms of his runs, and little by little, his team-mates will get to know him better too.”

This win feels like it’s worth more than three points. The mentality makes the difference. Now you face some must-win matches: on Thursday against Eintracht and then Milan at San Siro in the Coppa Italia. Rediscovering this sort of Roma performance and breaking the away-game curse now, so close to such critical fixtures, could be a springboard for greater ambitions in these competitions, don’t you think?

“No, I’d say it allows us to have more confidence, more belief and the competitive spirit we need to have all the time, not just at home when the Olimpico crowd is behind us and pushing us forward. We need to be consistent, whether at home or away, and always be true to ourselves. We aim to win. Maybe we’ll lose, but the intent must always be there. It’s about the determination and grit that I saw in the Netherlands too and I liked. That’s the Roma I want to see now and always.”

There’s been a lot of talk about Lorenzo Lucca. Could he become a Roma player?

 “Lucca is a good player, an excellent young talent. We’re keeping an eye on him and who knows…”

Looking at the table, can Roma finish in the top six or seven?

“I don’t know. It’s tough. Analysts say we’ll have some difficult matches ahead and then some easier ones. But what are the easy matches? The ones against Venezia, Como or Parma? Teams that press you, attack you and counter effectively? There are no easy matches anymore, especially in the second half of the season, which is practically a different league altogether. Every match needs to be approached step by step, regardless of the opponents, giving equal respect to all. That’s the challenge Roma will face. We can’t say, ‘Oh, we’re playing Milan or Napoli, so those are the big games and the others aren’t.’ Every game is tough and every team will make things difficult for us.”