De Rossi: I won’t pretend I’m sorry after win over Roma
Genoa coach Daniele De Rossi won’t pretend to be sorry after his Genoa side beat Roma 2-1 and admits he feels ‘ at home’ at Marassi.
De Rossi’s Genoa beat Roma 2-1 on Sunday and the Italian tactician commented on his players’ performances during a post-match interview with DAZN.
“It was worth three points, which are so important and were earned by a strong and healthy group,” De Rossi said.
“In January, after the transfer window, I said I was happy because I had a group with different characteristics in all departments. I know games are not all the same, and opponents are not all the same. When you need intensity like tonight, you need players with those skill sets. I’m happy with the table, but very happy with my players. They deserve this satisfaction, especially those who have played less.”
De Rossi is a Roma legend and a former Giallorossi coach, so how does it feel to beat his favourite club?
“If you decide to do this job, you must know you’ll face Roma sooner or later,” De Rossi replied.
“I don’t want to minimise or say I’m not sorry that they are sorry, but I don’t want to justify myself or pretend I’m sorry. I’m happy, not that Roma lost, but that I won. This will be my fate until the day I’ll hope Roma win 38 games. It’s a target of mine and a dream of many. Perhaps, one day it will happen.
“However, if I have to think about a team similar to Roma, that makes me feel at home, with similar fans, in both good and bad ways; it’s where I am now, and I really like it.”
De Rossi went on to praise his players.
“What they give me is more than what I give them. I try to treat them honestly and equally. I hadn’t noticed the assist [for Vitinha] was from Masini,” he continued.
“I’m not surprised. I like to spend time with these lads, I like to shield them when there are bad games, like against Inter. All we do comes from what they do in training. If you look at Masini, you have to stop him in training because he goes twice as fast as the others. Perhaps, he won’t play in the next game, but this is football. They give everything to me, I give everything to them.”