07 April 2017
Pushing for 93 points
“Saturday’s is a really important match. We’ve only eight league games left until the end of the season, meaning it’s crucial that we pick up three points tomorrow night.
“We won’t be thinking about Barcelona until Sunday, because we can’t afford to slip up against Chievo, who are very well organised and experienced. We need to be on our toes throughout and make sure we avoid any lapses in concentration.
“Roma could reach 92 points this season, so we need at least 93 to be mathematically certain of sealing the Scudetto. Therefore, we’ve still got to win plenty more matches.”
Team news for tomorrow
“I could well deploy Paulo Dybala as a centre-forward tomorrow. He played 70 minutes on Wednesday, so he could do with more game time. The more Paulo plays, the better it is for his physical condition.
“It’s unlikely that Mario Mandzukic will be available tomorrow, while Marko Pjaca is out injured, making it even more necessary that Dybala features against Chievo.
“Claudio Marchisio could return to the fold tomorrow. I’ll decide whether to rest Sami Khedira. Miralem Pjanic played only at the end of Wednesday’s game. I’ll make my mind up about the midfield later today.”
It’s all in the head
“What’s important is that we don’t fall into the trap of imagining what could happen at the end of the season.
“We need to be at the races, particularly against teams such as Chievo and, later in the month, Pescara and Genoa. These are three matches that could have a huge bearing on the Serie A title.
“Reaching the Coppa Italia final definitely acts as a psychological boost for us going into the final weeks of the campaign, but we must keep up the momentum.
“Our aim is to win all three competitions and we’ve the chance to become legends by lifting a sixth straight Scudetto title. We simply must not let this opportunity pass us by.”
