Gasperini praises ‘extraordinary’ spirit in win over Sassuolo

After Lecce, Roma beat Sassuolo in their first home game of 2026: the Giallorossi won 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico with goals from Koné and Soulé.

Gasperini spoke at full-time to the media, praising his men.

“In the first half, we put in a good performance, but it wasn’t appreciated because we were inconclusive in the final 16 meters. This is one of our limitations.”

“In the second half, we picked up the pace and improved technically,” he added.

“I started to see what I often see in training again. I saw the ability to connect in tight spaces and create many dangerous situations. It’s thanks to these guys, whose character, commitment, and quality are extraordinary.”

“Dybala? He’s waiting for the games to break the deadlock. I’m happy with this; the important thing is that he continues to play and enjoys himself. Tonight we saw an extraordinary repertoire, as good as in Lecce. He’ll rediscover his strength and shooting accuracy.”

“The transfer market? I won’t go into the merits of the matter. It’s quite unpleasant, I’m just talking about my players, who are doing better and better. It’s a matter of respect for these players, who are giving their all.”

“Ferguson? He took a knock, a severe contusion. We’ll see tomorrow. He was unlucky, they’re painful blows that almost paralyze you, and maybe he took more than one. I feel sorry for him, we’ll see tomorrow, but I don’t think it’s a muscular problem that will take days.”

“Soule? Soulé in that position is a solution I tried at the start of the season, and after a few days, it became a possibility. He has the ability to do it, he’s got stamina, and he can bring creativity and imagination to that area of ​​the pitch. It’s not always possible, but tonight he was very good. I ask him to be more focused; in training he does extraordinary things near the goal, but in matches he still needs to earn those 10 meters.”

“Svilar? He’s definitely one of the best in Europe. He scored a lot of points last year and several more this year. I compare him to a striker who scores 25 goals. We would have won today anyway, but he’s a top goalkeeper. I’m disappointed he doesn’t play for the national team, but he’s a top-notch goalkeeper.”