Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen were described as “world-class” by Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini after the pair combined for a hat-trick in a commanding 4-0 victory over Fiorentina at the Stadio Olimpico.
Dybala and Malen were central to Roma’s emphatic performance, prompting Gasperini to praise the quality of his attacking players and the progress made by the team since last season.
“Theyare world-class,” Gasperini said during his post-match news conference.
The Roma manager reserved particular praise for Dybala, whose career has been disrupted by a series of injuries.
“Dybala always has been, he’s just had a few too many injuries. This one is a beast, so much for the silk muscles some people talked about. He could even play extra time. Last year he was unlucky, he got injured taking a free-kick and a penalty.”
Gasperini was equally impressed by Malen, who has continued the form he showed towards the end of the previous campaign.
“Malen is extraordinary, but it’s no accident,” he said.
“He feels appreciated and strong, he’s a leader on the pitch and he can grow further. What he’s showing is incredible, he must have found the right environment.”
Roma’s victory led to questions over whether the club could now set its sights on more ambitious targets. Gasperini avoided making any predictions, instead stressing the need to assess the strength of the opposition before drawing wider conclusions.
“You sound like a broken record,” he said, laughing. “I agree on the performance. When I talk about ‘dimension’, you have to know your opponents very well. When we understand what level the other teams are playing at, we’ll have clearer ideas. About ourselves, I’m very happy: this is an extraordinary group. We created a base a year ago and then added quality. Now the group is consolidated, the new arrivals fit in, and that’s important.”
Rodrigo Mora was another player to catch the manager’s eye after making his debut. The youngster impressed before being substituted, with Gasperini suggesting he has the natural ability to make an impact.
“It was the right match for him,” Gasperini said.
“He needs to improve in some things, but we’re looking at a talent. When he touches the ball, something nice happens. We need to give him continuity, but he has the characteristics.”
Manu Kone, who has only recently returned from the World Cup, was taken off after being booked. Gasperini admitted he had pushed the midfielder physically while recognising the effort he had made during the match.
“I pushed him a bit,” the coach admitted. “There’s a disparity in condition between those who went to America and those who didn’t, but he went beyond it with his generosity. He played an excellent game, he needs to train and find his condition.”
The Roma manager also welcomed the increase in effective playing time in Serie A, saying the change had improved the experience for supporters.
“Beautiful, fantastic. I like it a lot,” he said. “The public benefits, before, they watched deadly boring matches with the goalkeeper touching more balls than anyone. They’re excellent rules, nobody stays on the ground now.”
