Rudi Garcia has stressed his side still have their Serie A position in their own hands as they prepare to face Cagliari on Monday.
The match between the two sides was moved as Italy and Argentina are playing at the Stadio Olimpico in an autumn rugby test match.
“We are playing against a strong side who play good football. We want to win and will do everything to achieve this result,” he told the press.
“The pitch will certainly be in worse condition on Monday, as it has been raining for three days and there will be a rugby match on the same turf. I can only hope the rugby teams play with their hands and try to avoid too many scrums.”
Juventus could leapfrog Roma and take top spot in Serie A should they defeat Livorno on Sunday, though it would only be for one day if the Giallorossi win.
“We are the leaders and it still depends only on us whether we remain there on Monday evening,” Garcia explained. “We won’t go head-to-head with Juventus until December, so for the moment we can only evaluate them on television.
“We had many players on international duty, but our medical staff did great work.Gervinho gives us a different option, because his characteristics are unique within the team and he can get past defenders.
“Mattia Destro is medically cured after knee surgery, but has a lot of work to do in terms of fitness levels. It’ll take time to see the real Destro.
“Similarly, it is important to have Marco Borriello back to give us different characteristics. He needs to receive the ball in front of goal, so he becomes valuable if our opponents close up the spaces. I prefer having choices to make than being forced into a formation.
“We know with our Roma that danger can come from any quarter. I like that, as it means the team is prolific and can bring anyone to score a goal.
“Cagliari have many more choices with the return of Mauricio Pinilla and their advantage is they’ve been playing together as a unit for many years. I only hope the ball will be able to roll easily on the turf. I must admit, I’ve never seen a rugby match planned two days before a football game.”
As a gesture of goodwill, Roma will donate the proceeds from Monday’s game to the victims of the Sardinian flash floods that have killed 16 people..
“It is important for us to be close to the people of Sardinia and there will be a minute’s silence before the game,” the tactician concluded.
