{"id":485088,"date":"2026-02-23T04:58:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T04:58:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/485088\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T04:58:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T04:58:12","slug":"roma-better-than-expected-but-will-be-a-battle-to-the-end-for-top-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/485088\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Roma better than expected, but will be a battle to the end’ for top 4"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ROME,<\/p>\n

ROME, ITALY – FEBRUARY 22: AS Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini looks on during the Serie A match between AS Roma and US Cremonese at Stadio Olimpico on February 22, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Gian Piero Gasperini didn\u2019t expect his first Roma season to \u2018go quite this well\u2019 after catching Napoli in third, but warns the Champions League places \u2018will be a battle to the end.\u2019<\/p>\n

The Giallorossi knew that other results had definitely gone their way this weekend, as Napoli, Milan and Juventus all lost, even if that allowed Como and Atalanta to close up towards the top five.<\/p>\n

They took almost an hour to break Cremonese down<\/a> at the Stadio Olimpico, eventually thanking two corners with a Bryan Cristante header and his flick on for Evan N\u2019Dicka, before Niccol\u00f2 Pisilli sealed the 3-0 result.<\/p>\n

Gasperini surprised by Roma growth\"ROME,ROME, ITALY \u2013 FEBRUARY 22: Evan Ndicka with his teammates of AS Roma celebrates after scoring the team\u2019s second goal during the Serie A match between AS Roma and US Cremonese at Stadio Olimpico on February 22, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

\u201cWe struggled in the first half, it wasn\u2019t easy to break them down in the final third, but then we moved Cristante closer to Malen, scored on a corner, and it opened the floodgates,\u201d Gasperini told DAZN Italia.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI hoped that things would go well here. When I saw the reaction from these lads in the first few training sessions, I was convinced we\u2019d do really well. Maybe not quite this well, but the spirit from the first days was ambitious, solid, and with many young players who are growing.<\/p>\n

\u201cLads like Pisilli, Venturino, Ghilardi and Ziolkowski are maturing well, it\u2019s very satisfying to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roma had not scored from a corner since the game against Lecce, when it was scored by Artem Dovbyk on January 6.<\/p>\n

\u201cCristante had scored like that against Fiorentina, he has goals from set plays in his capabilities, we tend to alternate the movements on these dead ball situations. Apart from taking the kicks well today, I think we moved well too and created the space.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see a lot of teams getting goals from set plays this season, we were a bit behind, but caught up with two tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ROME,ROME, ITALY \u2013 FEBRUARY 22: Niccolo Pisilli of AS Roma celebrates after scoring the team\u2019s third goal during the Serie A match between AS Roma and US Cremonese at Stadio Olimpico on February 22, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

This victory was also achieved without injured Paulo Dybala, Matias Soul\u00e9, Artem Dovbyk, Evan Ferguson and Stephan El Shaarawy.<\/p>\n

Mario Hermoso also pulled out in the warm-up with a muscular problem, replaced at the last minute by Daniele Ghilardi.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am fortunate to have a lot of senior players who helped me so much at the start, inspiring everyone else. They\u2019ve been great professionals, the new arrivals also settled in well. Undoubtedly, it was a very positive atmosphere before I arrived, as Claudio Ranieri created the right situation here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ROME,ROME, ITALY \u2013 FEBRUARY 22: Donyell Malen of AS Roma in action during the Serie A match between AS Roma and US Cremonese at Stadio Olimpico on February 22, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Roma are now in joint third place with Napoli and extend their advantage over Juventus in fifth place to four points<\/a>, a precious cushion considering they go head-to-head with the Old Lady next weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cSunday will be a very important game, a win would be a big step forward. However, with my experience at Atalanta and qualifying five times in seven years for the Champions League, we pretty much always decided it in the final couple of rounds,\u201d insisted Gasperini.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are teams coming up behind us too, like Atalanta and Como, so it will be a battle to the very end. This evening\u2019s victory was necessary to give us a small advantage going into the next few weeks, which could yet prove decisive.\u201d<\/p>\n


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