Spalletti: 'Roma weak mentally'
Luciano Spalletti slammed his Roma side and talk of feeling proud after losing to Real Madrid. “You must be angry and realise the chance you threw away.”
The Giallorossi played very well over the two legs, but wasted numerous clear-cut chances and lost both games 2-0.
“You can’t recriminate, you have to face reality. 2-0 the first leg, 2-0 the second. Real Madrid qualified fairly. We can’t always roll around grasping at straws, the facts remain we lost 2-0 and that’s it,” the Coach told Mediaset Premium.
“I don’t know what more we could’ve done. When we played the first leg I was convinced we could fight for qualification.
“If we want to go in deep, then yes we played well and deserve compliments, but the reality is we must grow in terms of mentality, conviction and determination. We are weak in some senses, still.
“We are weak and at the first sign of difficulty we cannot be the team that we need to be. It’s not as if Real Madrid are going through a great period of form and at the moment they are not irresistible.”
Radja Nainggolan was a late addition to the injury list with Daniele De Rossi and Antonio Rudiger, then Miralem Pjanic went off with an ankle problem at half-time.
“This would’ve been the system even with Nainggolan. The first leg probably came too early in my time here. We could’ve done more and should do more in future, I am sure we will be able to fix some things.
“But being relaxed or satisfied with these two games is something that makes me feel anxious. Imagine what level we had dropped to if we now feel happy after losing two games 2-0?
“We have to accept and look at reality without talking about fairy-tales, otherwise the road ahead becomes even tougher. It’s not enough, we need to do more.”
Rudi Garcia won only one of the six group games to qualify for the Round of 16, so should Spalletti have come in earlier?
“I don’t want to get into that. The lads have worked well recently and are going in the right direction, but we need leaps forward rather than baby steps, because we have the players who can do that.
“When I come back into the locker room after the final whistle and see the players satisfied because they will get compliments for the performance, this creates a disappointment and pain in me that I cannot reconcile.”
Arrigo Sacchi in the studio agreed that if Juventus had been in this situation, they would’ve pushed through rather than let their heads drop.
“Clearly the head becomes fundamental in football. You need that conviction that you are part of a side like Roma, it has to be as important as being part of your family,” agreed Spalletti.
“We keep saying not to let our heads drop and get depressed after setbacks. I think 2-0 went well for us. I wouldn’t have been surprised if we had conceded seven, which don’t forget happened to me as well as the other Coaches.
“I almost saw the same situation again tonight. That means we haven’t improved in terms of mental strength. Letting the players understand that is not easy, but that is the difference, changing their thoughts about this game and totally overturning the perception.
“When you go into the locker room after a 2-0 defeat, you need to be angry and realise the chances you have thrown away over these two games.
“There are matches that will remain in football history forever and are short-cuts to world success, to let everyone see what you can do. The regrets are never if you lose, they are if you didn’t give everything and take the chance by the scruff of the neck.
“We’ve got to accept and understand that, otherwise we’ll just be hurting ourselves.”
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Spalletti pretty much nailed it. But it's going to take a loooonnnngggg time before that club ever sheds itself of its loser/defeatist mentality. No matter how much Spalletti tries to change things up, the fans/coaches/directors/players of that club will always prefer to take the easy way out and just give up or blame others for their failures.
