Atalanta coach Edoardo Reja feels that the heat caused his players to suffer against Roma but admitted that it was a vital point earned at this stage of the Serie A season.
In what was a scrappy affair, lacking any real quality, a penalty for each side earned the Orobici a hard fought 1-1 draw at Stadio Olimpico and Reja conceded that his side struggled at times.
“We suffered at times,” Reja told Sky Sport Italia after the game.
“We did well to close them down and prevent any space.
“It was difficult after the break as we failed to close them down, but today the heat was a factor, we were very tired at the end.
“It is an important point, a draw is a healthy result at this time of the season.
“I feel Roma are growing as a squad, but they too were tired because of the heat.”
The veteran coach reserved special praise for Giulio Migliaccio, who produced a crucial goal-saving tackle.
“He is an extraordinary player, especially in terms of his positioning. If he were five years younger, I would use him more.”
