Pellegrini: ‘Glad Gasperini is coach of Roma, Dovbyk is improving’

Lorenzo Pellegrini is ‘very happy as a player and a fan that Gian Piero Gasperini is the coach of Roma’ and hails Artem Dovbyk’s movement after beating Glasgow Rangers.

The Giallorossi were feeling under pressure following a series of painful defeats, to Lille and Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League, Inter and Milan in Serie A.

They seemed surprisingly comfortable at Ibrox, securing the 2-0 victory with Matias Soulé on a corner and Pellegrini sweeping in from a Dovbyk lay-off before half-time.

“It was important to win today and recover lost ground, but despite what some might think, this was not an easy match,” Pellegrini told Sky Sport Italia.

“We wanted to give a sense of consistency and we can certainly do better, but we are on the right track.”

Roma had perhaps started the season stronger than expected under new coach Gian Piero Gasperini, then had a few stumbles, above all when it came to scoring goals.

“I think it is still early days, but what we must appreciate is the continual improvement of this team. We had results at the start of the season, but without the same determination and visible improvements that we saw today.

“The objective now is to keep improving and soon our real strength will be clear for us as well as everyone else.”

Pellegrini had started the season on the transfer market after being told his contract will not be renewed, but slowly managed to ease his way back into the squad.

“It was difficult at the start, as I was coming off an injury and missing match fitness, but from the derby onwards I had that consistency that I really wanted.

“Now I feel good physically, whether I come off the bench or start matches. I’m very happy, because it was a difficult summer on a psychological level too.

“The coach is very demanding, but he knows the right buttons to press. As a player and as a fan, I am very happy that he is the coach of Roma.”

Among the biggest changes that Gasperini has been trying to enact are in attack, where Pellegrini feels they are making genuine progress, as seen by today’s assist.

“We are trying to communicate a lot more. Artem had a couple of movements to shake off his marker today that perhaps a while ago he would not have tried, so if he does that more, we can get the ball to him in better positions.

“It’s something you have to work on, as it’s decisions in a split second on the pitch, but we’re all doing much better.”