Alessandro SpugnaRoma women’s coach, spoke at a press conference on the eve of the first match of the Group Phase of the UEFA Women’s Champions League against Wolfsburg. These are his words reported by vocigiallorossa.it
“Tomorrow we have a very important match ahead of us, a great match from every aspect: mental, physical and technical. We must face the challenge with great sacrifice, as we are facing a very strong team. It is essential that we prepare for this. How long will it be? from Tre Fontane? I believe that this field has represented a solid basis for many of our victories, so Tre Fontane will certainly give us an extra boost. Tomorrow there will be a large crowd, and we must prove that we deserve their expectations a group like this, starting well can make the difference.”
Which player would you take away from Wolfsburg and why?
“I prefer to keep my players. I can assure you that in Wolfsburg there are players of the highest level. Compared to the team that played against us two years ago, there have been some changes: they no longer have a very strong player like Eva Pajor, now at Barcelona, but they still have high-quality athletes. They have many players from the German national team and beyond; they are an excellent team two years ago, so we are talking about a group with a lot of experience in this competition. I wouldn’t take any players away from Wolfsburg, because I trust my players. I know that my players are following an important path and this group represents a fundamental growth opportunity for all of us.”
How do you face such a strong opponent in Europe?
“We must be particularly attentive and capable of exploiting the spaces that are given to us. We are a team that can also hurt in transition, so we must pay attention to this aspect. It is clear that, while we have studied them, Wolfsburg have also studied I expect them to present themselves with a more balanced approach than what we have seen in their last matches. However, I repeat, we must be very cautious when not in possession, trying not to offer them opportunities that will be granted to us. In Europe, physical strength and the ability to offer density on the pitch become fundamental aspects.”