De Rossi: ‘We’re back to managing possession well, Lukaku’s best performance with me’

Daniele De Rossi believes Roma managed possession well against Milan and hailed Romelu Lukaku for his efforts in the 1-0 win over Milan. A Gianluca Mancini goal was enough to settle things in the first-leg, and De Rossi explained in the post-match how his side had been working to control the game and see out the result:

“We controlled the ball very well for 65/70 minutes. We maintained possession and exploited the spaces. We witnessed Lukaku’s best performance since I’ve been here; I would like to see him play like this consistently.”

De Rossi highlighted Roma’s improved ball circulation: “We’ve returned to playing good possession football. In some cases, the weaker team can hold onto the ball longer. You need a steady foot that doesn’t tremble. Did I sweat? There are some bright lights here… (laughs).” On what he liked about his team’s performance: “I liked the courage to retain possession but also the ability to endure until the end. You can lose or make mistakes, but the attitude shown in the derby or tonight must be maintained, starting from the next game in Udine. Matches like these need to be played even on smaller pitches.”

The coach discussed his team’s containment of Milan’s Leao and Theo Hernandez: “Milan and their left-sided champions are not to be underestimated. We needed to do more on that side; we chose El Shaarawy, but Cristante was always there to provide support. I was calm; they performed well on the field. Before the game, I told the players that I trusted them; I’m proud of everyone, even the more renowned players, and their attitude.”