Ranieri discusses Roma’s top four hopes and Saelemaekers’ future in preview of Milan clash | OneFootball

Roma head coach Claudio Ranieri believes that his side can grab a Champions League place, while he was also asked about Alexis Saelemaekers.

On Sunday night, Milan will challenge Roma at the Stadio Olimpico in the penultimate day of the 2024-25 Serie A season. It is a ground that the Rossoneri will not be looking forward to playing on, given they lost the Coppa Italia final at the same venue on Wednesday night.

While it remains virtually impossible for Milan to get a Europa or Champions League place in the league, Roma are still very much in the hunt. They sit sixth but just one point behind their city rivals Lazio in fifth and Juventus in fourth, so will be desperately seeking a win to try capitalise on any slip-ups.

Ranieri – who will step down at the end of the season – spoke to reporters at his pre-match press conference two days before the game in the capital, and his comments were relayed by MilanNews.

What can you tell us about the mercato?

“We’ll talk about it after the season ends, I don’t think it’s the right time to talk about it now. The facts speak for us, for how many goals we’ve managed to score, for how many we’ve missed. So we’ll definitely see what to do.”

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What is the difference between coaching in another stadium and coaching at the Olimpico?

“The difference is precisely because we are Romans and Romanisti. Maybe another coach doesn’t have that feeling that we Romanisti can have. I remember when I was a boy when I was maybe in the Roma youth sector and just watching the players play made my heart beat fast.

“I dreamed of one day being there on the pitch too. So it’s logical that climbing those steps is something that goes beyond, right? Seeing the stadium full and this year, but also the other years, the full stadium meant that the team tried to give their best and the fans, despite the difficulties, were close to you. This is, I think, a beautiful feeling.”

Can Roma fight for the Champions League and the Scudetto?

“We have two windows where we will be restricted. We will try to make as few mistakes as possible. Then we will see, because many times the strongest team does not win, the one who has managed to build something wins.

“You saw, we played, I think, openly with a team last Monday that was built in nine years. So would I say that we are there? No, I say, that we have to improve. We have started to lay the foundations. Little by little we will build a team that is a source of pride for the fans.”

Could Saelemaekers stay?

“I won’t talk about the market. As for me, I have to tell you that Soulé has adapted well on that wing; Saelemaekers had a wonderful combination with Dybala, because they exchanged the ball at 2000 miles an hour, they created problems for the opponent.

“Without Dybala, I saw that he was no longer the same and so I tried to change, I tried to give something more. But Alexis is always in my mind, because he is an important player.”

How important is Europe from a financial point of view?

“It’s important because you want to get there, because you think about where we got it, what we did, the sacrifices the boys made, the desire, the determination, the fans. For all this it’s super important. Then, later I’ll also think that it’s important for the club.”

What did you take from the match against Atalanta?

“It must be said that when we drop back and if we are attentive it is difficult for them to score. We conceded the goal to Lookman precisely because we remained open on a free kick and inexplicably let him take the ball.

“No one in front of the ball, both open, so the ball slipped between the two of us. It is not a question of me dropping back, it is also the strength of the opponent. Then you always have to look at the strength of Atalanta, that of the counterattacks.

“In fact they have always been very dangerous on the counterattacks, but just as we have been very dangerous. Because if we had given the penalty or the goals that they missed and we would not have missed them, that is those positive episodes, we would be talking about the same as the Inter match.

“Great Roma, attacking, they were there, concentrated, they skidded a little, but in the end they won. And here instead we say that Roma dropped back, they put themselves behind, they conceded goals, that’s it.”

Will the team be rotated or will there be continuity?

“I think we will do what we can do also following the line of the players we have, without upsetting too much.”

Has Roma organised something for you?

“If they have, it’s right that they don’t tell me, but I don’t know. I’m at 500 games in Serie A, I’m happy. Years ago I scored a thousand in total in London. I entered the Hall of Fame of the Thousand and I didn’t even know it. So these are things I’ll review in a month. I hope I’ll have time to look at what I’ve done.”

Are there any expendable victims on the market?

“Honestly, you talked about it and we didn’t talk about it at the club. So, you know, the markets are always open to a thousand situations. We will try to do our best to give the fans a competitive team.

“But the hard core is important, the mentality is important, everything we have built this year is important. This is a serious team, a team that is committed, a team that works as a team. They are players who help each other and we cannot make mistakes with the players who arrive.”