Paulo Fonseca seems to be maneuvering into the underdog position just before the Europa League match with Ajax. The AS Roma trainer was full of praise at the press conference on Wednesday about the team from Amsterdam, who particularly impressed him in an attacking way. “For me, Ajax is one of the strongest teams in Europe in that respect,” said Fonseca. “They have a lot of good individual players with extra quality.”
The trainer is asked where the opportunities for AS Roma lie in Amsterdam. “We have to play the perfect match to get a result. We are going to play against a very strong opponent. Ajax is a team that is strong in possession and is very dangerous offensively. We will have to be at our best to get a result. The key for us is that we must not make unnecessary mistakes defensively and that we must try to keep Ajax far away from our penalty area. We must also be strong on the ball and let Ajax run after the ball. Ajax is a team that is strong in possession, but less eager to chase the ball. But it all starts with a good defensive organization. “
Fonseca is under pressure at AS Roma, which only took one point in the last three league games. “I feel that the team is confident and very motivated and focused,” said the Portuguese. “As for decisions I make in the course of the game, sometimes after the game you sometimes think you should have done something else. But I have no regrets at all about the decisions I made in dealing with the team. “
Roma already conceded 44 goals in Serie A this season, the tenth highest amount in the Italian league. Gianluca Mancini, who was also present at the press conference, knows the importance of a good defensive organization. “The numbers are clear,” said the 24-year-old center-back. “We need to be able to perform better and make fewer mistakes. We are aware that it must be better. It’s not just about the defenders but the collective. We are working hard to improve it. Let’s hope that we can start with that from tomorrow. “
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