{"id":13760,"date":"2026-01-30T02:59:58","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T02:59:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/roma-certainly-improved-as-europa-league-went-on-with-top-8-finish\/"},"modified":"2026-01-30T02:59:58","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T02:59:58","slug":"roma-certainly-improved-as-europa-league-went-on-with-top-8-finish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/roma-certainly-improved-as-europa-league-went-on-with-top-8-finish\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Roma certainly improved as Europa League went on’ with top 8 finish"},"content":{"rendered":"


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ROME, ITALY – OCTOBER 23: Gian Piero Gasperini, Head Coach of AS Roma, looks on prior to the UEFA Europa League 2025\/26 League Phase MD3 match between AS Roma and FC Viktoria Plzen at Stadio Olimpico on October 23, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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Gian Piero Gasperini feels Roma \u2018certainly improved as we went on\u2019 in the Europa League, but isn\u2019t sure if he\u2019d call them \u2018among the favourites\u2019 for the trophy.<\/p>\n

It was the worst possible start to their match in Athens, as within 15 minutes Gianluca Mancini had been sent off for pulling back Milos Pantovic by the shoulder, denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.<\/p>\n

Panathinaikos took the lead when Vicente Taborda pounced on a Daniele Ghilardi misplaced header back towards his own goalkeeper, but Jan Ziolkowski\u2019s diving header late on snatched a point for the 10 men.<\/p>\n

Gasperini impressed with Roma character<\/h2>\n
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ATHENS, GREECE \u2013 JANUARY 29: Jan Ziolkowski of AS Roma celebrates scoring his team\u2019s first goal during the UEFA Europa League 2025\/26 League Phase MD8 match between Panathinaikos FC and AS Roma at Spyros Louis on January 29, 2026 in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Milos Bicanski\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cYou can criticise Roma for many things, but not the character shown by all these players,\u201d Gasperini told Sky Sport Italia.<\/p>\n

\u201cIncidents are decisive in football and we were unlucky on the opening goal with a header backwards, so the best chance we had of equalising was I assumed a set play. Ziolkowski had gone close to a goal before and he did really well to stay up there to meet it.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a long list of absentees this evening, the latest being Paulo Dybala, so Roma had to improvise, but the young players stepped up.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been working with young players for most of my life, so I give them responsibility. I saw with Atalanta and now here, the older players always have words of advice and support for the younger elements, they really set the example and give confidence to these lads.\u201d<\/p>\n

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ATHENS, GREECE \u2013 JANUARY 29: Devyne Rensch of AS Roma applauds the fans after the UEFA Europa League 2025\/26 League Phase MD8 match between Panathinaikos FC and AS Roma at Spyros Louis on January 29, 2026 in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Milos Bicanski\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It means they scrape into eighth place and go directly into the Europa League Round of 16, avoiding the play-offs, and won\u2019t be back in action until March.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know if we are among the favourites or not, but we have certainly improved as we went on in the competition, gaining confidence and experience. It wouldn\u2019t have been a problem for me if we had been in the play-offs, it\u2019s only two games and could\u2019ve been a valuable opportunity to test different players,\u201d continued Gasperini.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere a packed schedule is a problem is injuries, as when you play so often, they become more likely. That is the only negative. If it was up to be, I\u2019d play more and train less,\u201d smiled the coach.<\/p>\n

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ROME, ITALY \u2013 JANUARY 22: AS Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini looks on during the UEFA Europa League 2025\/26 League Phase MD7 match between AS Roma and VfB Stuttgart at Stadio Olimpico on January 22, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Is this because Gasperini was such a notorious taskmaster with incredibly tough training routines?<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the players agree with me, they much prefer playing to training too! I\u2019ve become much nicer now. We play every three days anyway, most of the time our training sessions are matches, and vice versa. The match situation is the ideal way to improve and test things out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roma had not managed a single draw this season, but this was their second in a row after the stalemate with Milan in Serie A.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been scoring fairly regularly for a while, and are creating many more chances. It was tough today as we were down to 10 men, forcing us out of position and we had to work a lot harder, but we still got the result.\u201d<\/p>\n

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