Head coach Stefano Pioli spoke to DAZN after the Roma-Milan match. Here are his statements as he talked about the 1-2 win:
"The result is important as well as the performance; it gives continuity to the first two matches. I was planning to make substitutions for both Fik and Ruben; unfortunately, I made them late, but we showed character and generosity in our play. It's an important victory against a tough opponent. We wanted to start well, and the schedule was not easy, but now we are satisfied, knowing that there's room for improvement and things to work on."
On the risk of a draw:
"I didn't think about the January match. Last year, we drew here at the Olimpico in the final minutes. We can't spend the whole season thinking about what we did or didn't do last year. I liked how we started today, especially in the first half, where we created 3-4 important goal-scoring opportunities without conceding dangerous situations. Many things went well, and many things we can improve upon. It's just the beginning, but we're starting to see some positive signs."
On Davide Calabria's new position in midfield, Pioli said:
"We want to build with Mike and five other players. Whether it's 4+1, 3+2, or 2+3... The players know how to read the spaces and how the opponents move. These are the mechanisms we are trying to find. Today, we positioned Calabria a bit deeper and gave Theo more freedom to read the spaces, and I believe we managed it well. Even with equal numbers, we controlled the game well. We were eager to finish this initial part of the season with three victories, and that created some tension, but again, we defended very well and conceded very little. We conceded a goal due to a deflection, and even with 10 players, the team was compact and generous."
On Rafael Leao's goal-scoring potential:
"I hope he can score many goals. He needs to keep moving as he did tonight; he was a reference point for our offensive phase. At times he was deep, at times inside, and at times against the opponent. Finally, he found himself in the box on a cross from the opposite side. Sometimes, he still forgets to get into those positions. He's exceptional; he needs to continue like this. His desire and mental growth are evident to me as I coach him every day. He's very calm, happy, and motivated", said Pioli.
On the arrival of Jovic as Giroud's backup:
"He was on the list of strikers we were looking for. He's coming off a somewhat difficult season, but he's a player of quality and talent. Players like him, with the right motivation, can always be useful, so I'm confident he will contribute. We brought in another striker because we'll be playing many matches, and we want to be ambitious. Last year, we had Giroud, Ibra, Origi, and Rebic. This year, we have one less, so we believe we're covered in all positions. After the break, when we have 7 matches in 21 days, there will be opportunities for everyone. To maintain a high level of performance, you can't play every match every three days."
On the derby after the international break, Pioli said:
"All matches are tests to pass. This will be a tough test against a high-quality opponent, but we'll prepare well. Then we'll see if we've been able to pass this test too. Of course, there's an international break in between, and we'll have very little time to prepare. After the break, it's better to face such an important match than a potentially tricky one in terms of concentration. I'll find the players determined. The derby is coming very soon, there's a great rivalry and ambition. Both teams want to win the second star, and it will be an opportunity to measure ourselves and compete to do well."
