Gasperini's Roma future assured despite heavy Inter defeat, says Massara
Roma sporting director Frederic Massara has moved to publicly guarantee the future of head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, despite a heavy 3-0 defeat to Inter Milan and recent ambiguous comments from the manager. The public vote of confidence came just before Saturday's match at San Siro, where a fragile defensive performance saw Roma's hopes of a top-four finish suffer a significant blow.
Massara was unequivocal when asked about Gasperini's position. "Gasperini at Roma next year? It's a certainty, he will stay," the director stated, seeking to close down speculation that arose after the coach's own non-committal response to the same question on Friday. Gasperini had said he hoped to continue "a path in which not only I must be satisfied, but all components," which had fueled doubts. Massara praised the manager as "extraordinary" and emphasized the club is in the process of building a new cycle under his leadership.
The need for that project was underscored by the performance against Inter, described by Gasperini as two matches in one. He pointed to a positive spell between Inter's first two goals but admitted his team "went into tilt" after conceding a third. The loss was Roma's eleventh of the Serie A season, a mark not seen since the 2012-13 campaign, and leaves them facing an uphill battle to qualify for the Champions League. Gasperini lamented the impact of injuries, including the loss of defender Gianluca Mancini during the match, but refused to blame a broader defensive decline.
Looking ahead, Gasperini outlined a clear vision for the summer transfer window in his post-match remarks. He does not believe the squad requires a full rebuild but insisted it needs significant reinforcement. "The team has an evident base," he said, while acknowledging the club has spent considerable sums. "It's not just an economic issue, but about where and who to go and get to increase the team's potential." He stressed that any evaluations would be made clearly with the club's hierarchy at the season's end.
One piece of attacking business appears already settled. Massara confirmed the club holds a purchase option for striker Donyell Malen, who is on loan, and expressed a strong desire to keep him. "It is a presupposition for Malen to remain at the club for a long time," Massara said. "He is doing very well, we are happy to have him and we hope he can be Roma's centre-forward for a long time." Securing Malen permanently is likely to be a first step in the strengthening Gasperini has called for, as Roma aim to close the gap on Serie A's elite.
