Gasperini Previews “Do or Die” Fixture Against Bologna in EL Decider

With 9 matches remaining in the 2025-2026 Serie A season, Roma may have practically each single a kind of 27 factors to beat and maintain off Juventus, Como, and Napoli to land considered one of Italy’s 4 Champions League locations in subsequent season’s competitors. There are just a few matches that appear as if gimmes at first look, however Roma nonetheless has to face league-leading Inter Milan and the all the time tough Atalanta in April, whereas May will deliver fixtures in opposition to Fiorentina and Lazio.

While Roma is not more likely to run the desk over the subsequent two months, it is protected to imagine they will have to earn not less than two-thirds of these 27 factors to sneak into the highest 4. However, if Roma can win the Europa League later this spring, they will finish their practically decade-long Champions League drought . With the membership beset by accidents in assault and affected by one other dip in kind, that could be a tough row to hoe.

But none of that context will matter if Roma cannot defeat Bologna tomorrow afternoon on the Stadio Olimpico. Speaking forward of what he referred to as a “do or die” match, Gasperini touched on a variety of matters earlier than Thursday’s fateful fixture—courtesy of the club’s official site.

What are the situations of Mancini, Kone, and Celik, who educated individually yesterday? Is anybody in danger, or is it only a precaution?

“Both. Maybe Koné. We’ll see today with the last training session. We’ll see.”

How do you think about the match in opposition to Bologna, additionally in relation to the workforce’s situation?

“A decisive, do-or-die match. There’s no draw; there must be a winner. There are 90 minutes of guaranteed play, with the possibility of extra time and penalties, just like in European competition. These are different games from the league, but perhaps even more fascinating and unique.”

Could this be the watershed match of the season?

“There have already been so many important matches to continue aiming higher and higher this season. This is a do-or-die game, which gives you the chance to play two more watershed games. I don’t really like the word ‘watershed,’ but it captures the importance of the game: you’re in a competition where you can either keep moving forward or go out, so in that sense it’s definitely more important than a league game.”

Did the AIA’s clarification of the crimson gentle incident in Wesley’s How persuade you?

“Looking back at the images, when you feel like you’re being made fun of, you look a little silly. Let’s put it that way, at least we’re not putting anyone in trouble.”

What sort of second is that this for you? Fan sentiment, particularly on social media, all the time fluctuates relying on the outcomes. Do you see social media?

“No, but all the reactions on social media, from fans and insiders, must be accepted, both good and bad. We must focus on working as hard as possible to try to please and achieve results. We have a clear conscience: the team’s commitment is total, and this gives us peace of mind. We all want to achieve the best, but what the team is doing is extraordinary. For me, it’s very positive. I also told the players, not to sugarcoat the pill, but because I truly believe that this group, since the start of the season, you have shown great commitment, determination, and dedication, trying to do their best.”

Could a one-off match be more suitable for Rome and Bologna, given your European characteristics?

“I do not know if it is extra congenial, as a result of these are matches the place incidents develop into much more decisive than in the league, provided that the probabilities of restoration are smaller. This is a return match, so you should be centered and take note of many different elements, similar to while you’re enjoying in a closing. Scoring capacity when you’ve got possibilities and defensive solidity while you’re conceding are essential. In any case, these are two groups that may deliver status to Italian soccer, as a result of they’ve all the time carried out properly in Europe.”

In the final 40 days, Roma have misplaced comparable matches in opposition to aggressive groups like Udinese, Genoa, and Como: what is the purpose?

“In those 40 days, there were a lot of games, and not just those. We faced Napoli, Juventus, Milan, Cagliari, and Cremonese, so you have to consider the entire process. In some games we performed better, in others less so. We had squad difficulties due to suspensions, injuries, and various situations, without these being excuses. Games like the ones in Genoa and Como were also affected by incidents. I don’t think the team had a bad attitude; in that respect, I “Don’t have a lot to criticize. We might not have performed properly in each sport, that is true, however it’s not only a query of aggression. Now there’s one other sport, and we wish to play it to the perfect of our capacity.”

Could El Shaarawy be the best associate for Malen and get an opportunity from the beginning?

Just look at our squad. El Shaarawy was out for 40 days without training, completely out of action. He recovered for a couple of weeks, came on for a match, and played on Sunday, even earning a penalty. Right now, by the way, we won’t even have Venturino because he’s not on the UEFA list, so he, Pellegrini, and Zaragoza are up front. We’re moving forward with these options, and everyone is trying to give them all. El Shaarawy, now that he’s back, can be one of the key players.

Could Bologna’s turnover be an element, particularly in view of the 120 minutes?

“It would not scare me. We’re powerful, we even needed to play for half an hour with ten males, we put in quite a lot of effort, and that permits us to be prepared for Bologna’s tempo, too. Sometimes resting would not essentially imply feeling higher. We’ll see tomorrow; it may very well be a plus for us.”

What’s it like to experience the Olimpico as Roma coach, with the support of the fans?

“It’s all the time been like this, not only for this match. Maybe there shall be one thing extra as a result of it is a do-or-die sport, however the assist from the stadium has all the time been a terrific asset for the workforce. At the start, we had extra difficulties in residence video games, however then we managed to remodel this facet, discovering a extra worthwhile approach to enhance our residence outcomes. It was an preliminary, now we hope to proceed worrying like this till the top of the season.”

What kind of Bologna do you expect from this match? And, given the sentiment in Bologna, there’s still a belief that Rome are the favorites. Does that add extra pressure for you?

“Both groups have the identical ambition. Bologna has fallen a bit behind in the league, however they’ve lately recovered properly. Last 12 months they had been enjoying in the Champions League, so there’s not that a lot distinction. They’re comparable groups in phrases of high quality, as demonstrated by the matches we have performed. So we all know full properly that it should be a match like we have described it thus far.”