“We have to try to win,” says Daniele De Rossi ahead of the game against Atalanta.

Credit: Photo by Icon sport

Daniele De Rossi praises Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen for reaching the Europa League final “on merit”, but warns that Roma’s match with La Dea today will be “crucial”.

Together they’re in fifth place, the last available spot for Champions League qualification, and La Dea have a game in hand against Fiorentina. “We know how important this match is for us and for them. Atalanta are in good form, but they’re also probably the only team to have played more games than us this season. We could feel the fatigue at times, but we’ve prepared ourselves in the best possible way in just 48 hours since the emotionally and physically intense encounter with Leverkusen. Even when you recognize the quality of your opponent and give them credit, it still irritates and leaves a feeling of injustice. The players are calm, but confident for the future, because we played on an equal footing with one of the best teams in the world recently. It will be a decisive match, and we must try to win,” declared the former Italian international.