Title Race Push: Gasperini Rejects Second Place Following Sassuolo Sweep
Speaking in post-match comments on November 7, 2026, Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini evaluated his squad’s growth following a 3-0 home victory against Sassuolo in Serie A. The result maintained the club’s domestic run while responding to recent setbacks encountered in European competition.
The manager pushed back against direct suggestions that his team should comfortably settle for a runner-up finish in the domestic title race, emphasizing the open nature of the standings behind the current leaders.
Sassuolo
clubGasperini Dismisses Second-Place Settlement Following Win
When questioned on whether he would accept second place in Serie A at this stage of the campaign, Gasperini rejected the premise while laying out his view of the league landscape.
“Would you sign for second place? No, I don’t know, it’s great to play this league, you can’t have illusions but you can’t be disappointed either, especially when you have a path like ours. Inter is the most accredited team, for everything else we can compete like all the others. If you want Lazio too, I’d put them among them. If Inter makes a few mistakes, anyone can compete. We don’t look at the others, they don’t interest us: we’ll stay on our perches like owls (laughs).”
Gasperini framed Inter Milan as the primary title favorite, pointing out that any lapse from the frontrunners leaves room for the surrounding pack to contest the upper table positions. By refusing to establish a ceiling on Roma‘s domestic trajectory, the manager stressed maintaining internal focus rather than monitoring the results of neighboring rivals like Lazio.
Squad Goalscoring Diversity and European Context
Addressing how his team unpicked Sassuolo‘s defensive setup, Gasperini pointed to individual technical contributions and highlighted a broader spread of finished chances across the pitch.
“Balerdi had also played well in Manchester. Many notable performances this evening. A great goal from Hermoso broke the deadlock, and it wasn’t easy because they closed down a lot, but we played with quality.”
“We’re scoring differently and with a lot of players: we’ve gained confidence and clarity. Hermoso’s goal is that of a quality striker. Soulé performed extraordinarily well; we have a knack for scoring, even in defeats. This team gives confirmation, not answers, and then you can lose.”
Mario Hermoso’s opener helped break down a compact low block, while Matías Soulé drew specific praise for his displays in forward areas. Gasperini also touched on recent European fixtures, contrasting high-level performances against Real Madrid and Manchester United with domestic league stability, noting that isolated incidents in those matches did not derail the overall tactical structure.
Sky Sport