Ranieri praises his team’s effort despite a tough 0-2 loss, highlighting their determination and upcoming challenges.
Image Credits and Reference: © Yahoo Sports. Author and photographer details available at the link.
Ranieri noted that the team fought back as best as they could during the match. He mentioned that they returned home early Thursday morning and did their best to recover from the fatigue. Despite the loss, he felt proud of how the players responded to challenges on the field.
He acknowledged that Atalanta made effective changes during the game, which put Roma at a disadvantage. Ranieri pointed out that he was running out of suitable midfielders to make substitutions. He congratulated his players for their efforts and highlighted a missed opportunity when Dovbyk could have given them the lead.
Ranieri emphasized that Atalanta is a strong team competing for the Scudetto, while Roma still has work to do. He reminded everyone that December is approaching, which means they will have games every four days. He knows that these matches will not be easy.
The manager also addressed some injury concerns, mentioning that Hummels and Cristante felt discomfort in their backs and muscles. He plans to evaluate their conditions the following morning. Ranieri expressed a wish that Mats would have informed him earlier about his discomfort, as it would have allowed for different substitutions.
On a positive note, he praised Dybala for his performance, noting that he hasn’t had a full training session yet. Dovbyk also impressed him, as he had some issues before the match but still played well. Ranieri remains hopeful for the upcoming matches as they aim to improve their performance.