Yurich: I Don’t Think Roma Performed Negatively and in Chaos; Despite the Loss, There Were Many Good Aspects

On the morning of October 4, Roma lost 0-1 to Elfsborg of Sweden in an away match in the Europa League group stage. After two rounds, Roma has only accumulated 1 point, ranking 27th.

After the game, Roma’s head coach Yurich said, “We had good ball possession and many attempts at shooting, but we just couldn’t convert them into goals. We need to do better in the final pass and counterattacks.”

This defeat brought negative comments to the team. However, this Croatian coach defended Roma and viewed the game from a different perspective: “Saying that the performance was negative and chaotic? I don’t agree with this view. The team did a lot and did quite well, including ball possession. Of course, there is room for improvement, and we conceded a penalty, but what I saw was a wonderful game full of opportunities and beautiful combinations. My view is completely different from yours.”

Regarding Elfsborg’s performance, Yurich analyzed: “Even when we had a numerical advantage, we failed to show enough initiative. For a considerable period, we controlled the game and handled the ball well. However, we gave the opponent opportunities in a few situations, leading to conceding a goal. We did many things right, but we still need to improve the quality in the final third. We created a one-on-one opportunity for Dovbyk and generated numerous threats through Pellegrini. Overall, I see some positive aspects, such as more combinations and better utilization of space.”

Sule’s performance at the beginning of the season was disappointing, but Yurich expressed support again: “He works very hard and is talented. Although he hasn’t fully unleashed his potential yet, he is not afraid to face pressure. He needs to improve physically and in terms of positioning. Today’s game made me more satisfied with him, and I am confident about his future.”

Finally, Yurich talked about the overall strength of the team: “I have a powerful squad, and my task is to bring out their best. Indeed, there are many areas that need improvement, but now we must focus on the next game. Even in today’s match, we showed significant progress, just lacking in details. Discussing what is missing is unrealistic.”

Despite this, not all Roma fans share the same view.