Sarri addressed topics including the threat of Malen, team cohesion, and the transfer window closure at his pre-match press conference.

Coach, you dedicate a lot of time to studying opponents when preparing for matches: How do you see this Roma team and what do you ask your players to do to limit Malen, who has scored 5 goals in two matches?

Sarri said: "If there were a truly reliable way to limit strong players, then strong players wouldn't exist. Malen is in top form right now, so he will be a problem throughout the match, which is normal when you're facing that level of player. As for the match, we're still preparing in the normal way. Unfortunately, we're the only team in Italy that has played 4 matches in 11 days and will play our fifth match in 16 days tomorrow. This, combined with other special circumstances, has caused us many problems. We've had to start over again and again, so our development has slowed down."

A journalist asked if this was the first week the team could train at full intensity without worrying about a midweek match.

Sarri replied: "We have a match in 5 days, so this is another very unusual week. The training schedule always has to be plus 1, plus 2, minus 2, minus 1, so it becomes very difficult to do truly high-quality, serious, and important training, which is what we need most right now."

On the transfer window closure,

Sarri said: "I'm very happy. Like almost all European coaches nowadays, I believe this is a situation that needs adjustment: coaches cannot train a team for 50 days while the transfer window is open. Everyone says it now, but a few years ago, when I said it, I was accused of complaining. The funny thing is that back then, when I complained, you journalists wrote about it; if Klopp or Guardiola said it now, you would say they're right. But that's the truth—almost all coaches feel this way now."

Regarding how this transfer window went, Sarri said: "I'm satisfied. Like all coaches, I always want more, but I'm still satisfied. As for the transfer window, looking at it on paper alone, everyone did well; it still has to be judged on the pitch."

On Kessié's position,

Sarri said: "In my opinion, he's a very strong and intelligent player. With the way we play now, he can play as both a central midfielder and a defensive midfielder. I don't think he'll encounter too many tactical problems in these two positions."

On Roma's strength,

Sarri said: "Roma was already a strong team, and now they've become even stronger. This is a strong team, and also one capable of competing for the title. I would be surprised if Roma didn't compete until the end."

As for whether this match can test Atalanta's current situation,

Sarri said: "The club hasn't even asked us that yet; they asked us to begin a new cycle, and we're moving forward despite various difficulties. The World Cup meant players returned at different times, and we also had two or three injuries, which meant that several players who are very important to us couldn't train with the team, so they had very few joint training sessions with the full squad. The transfer factor also meant that some new signings didn't arrive until the last few days—all of which felt like starting from zero. The team's current level is still low compared to what it can show in the future."

On the different philosophies between him and Gasperini,

Sarri said: "They ask me about saints, which I really don't understand and don't know how to answer. Our philosophies are indeed different, but he's not like me, and that won't change my mind. He's an inspiring coach, and I think he's a very strong coach. Everyone knows, especially those our age, that we've seen all kinds of styles win championships in football: coaches who play on the counterattack, coaches who use man-marking systems, coaches who pursue beautiful football—all have won. So no style inherently guarantees victory; as long as it's done well, any style can work. My respect for this coach is total."

Regarding Atalanta's 3 recent victories, which were all comebacks or wins in the final 15 minutes,

Sarri said: "I lean more toward the latter. By my current assessment, our physical condition isn't particularly good for the reasons I mentioned earlier; some special circumstances don't allow us to give our best. Football has 5 substitutions, and the most important thing is having players on the bench, especially attacking players, who come on without disappointment but with a clear understanding that they're there to decide the match. If we can maintain this mentality, the bench can give us points, as it has recently. Of course, players also need to feel very valued, and those who come on as substitutes and change the match should also be players who regularly start."

On the threat of Malen and the doubtful Dybala,

Sarri said: "We don't have players with those characteristics. Malen is a monster: he's technically very good when dropping deep to link play, lethal in the box, and has an extremely strong ability to time his runs behind the defense, so he's very difficult to limit. We have many options, all of good quality, and I hope one of them can play a key role in the match."

On Gasperini's influence at Atalanta,

Sarri said: "It's not a shadow. Obviously, when a coach has such a big impact over such a long period, everyone will remember him completely, but I don't feel that way. Afterwards, the club decided to go another direction, which is a process I have to go through, but more importantly, the club has to go through this process."

On whether the Stadio Olimpico in Rome feels like a derby,

Sarri said: "I spent 4 years at Lazio, so they probably don't like me much, although I've never disrespected them. Derbies are very special matches, especially in Rome, where you feel not just the team but more like you're representing a community. It's a very special match. But obviously, I've moved on, and now I have to think about Atalanta, and that's all."

On the transition from a three-man defense to a four-man defense,

Sarri said: "It's starting to look decent in training, but in matches, under pressure, we still tend to revert to man-marking habits. Individual players are doing well; if you ask me how the defense as a whole is, it's not that good."

Traducido por IA.

¡El sitio web de AF ya está disponible! Consulta noticias, comentarios, detalles de partidos y estadísticas en tu ordenador. Visita: www.allfootballapp.com