Following Roma's triumph over Milan in the Europa League, head coach Daniele De Rossi has shed light on the tactics that guided his team to victory.
De Rossi commended his squad's resolute defensive display, expressing his pride in leading such a formidable team.
The former Roma midfielder replaced Jose Mourinho in January amidst a lackluster Serie A campaign and has not only revitalized the atmosphere within the squad but also propelled them to the brink of European glory in the three months he has been in charge.
Defensive solidity was the secret to Roma’s success against Milan
De Rossi praised his team's defensive solidity as the reason for their triumph against Milan. Roma effectively neutralized their opponents' attacking threats, laying the foundation for their victory on the European stage.
Addressing Sky Sports Italia’s reporters after the game, he said; "It was not easy, as Milan are a very strong team who play good football. We saw yesterday even Real Madrid sat back and defended, we did too when it was the right moment to do so.
“To beat this Milan, we needed excellence. We needed great heart, as once we were down to 10 men, we had to play with intensity, but with intelligence and tactical knowledge. Just running around is not sufficient," he added.
Roma will face unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League semi-final for the second season in a row. The German side have won the Bundesliga title already and are on course for a treble. However, they stopped Bayer in last season's semi-finals, and will look to do so again.