A.S. Roma manager Rudi Garcia believes the Giallorossi were unfortunate to merely draw Thursday’s last-16 UEFA Europa League clash against Fiorentina at the Stadio Artemi Franchi.
Slovenia international forward Josip Iličić put Fiorentina ahead after 17 minutes, but former Barcelona midfielder Seydou Keita equalised 13 minutes from time to net a potentially vital away goal for Roma.
Despite the solid away result, Garcia thinks his side deserved to win in Florence on Thursday night.
“We deserved to win today. We had lots of chances to win the match,” said Garcia.
“We were up against it in the first 20 minutes, but then we turned a corner and stopped giving it away in midfield. We were ambitious and got a goal, which is always important when you’re playing away in a European knock-out tie.
“We shouldn’t just play to get through on away goals in the second leg – we have to try and win the game.
“In the last 70 minutes tonight it was the same Roma side I saw against Juve [in Serie A last Monday] and Feyenoord [in the Europa League last 32].
“We showed character and personality. We built the play well and showed we could stretch them [Fiorentina]. It was a good performance from us this evening and I think we could have got the victory.”
The second-leg will be played at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Thursday, 19 March.
Sportiello flattered by Liverpool talk
Atalanta B.C. goalkeeper Marco Sportiello has admitted he is flattered by reports linking him with English Premier League side Liverpool.
Sportiello, 22, is reportedly attracting interest from a host of top European clubs after putting together several impressive performances in the Italian Serie A this season.
According to reports, both AC Milan and Internazionale are keeping tabs on the 22-year-old, who is contracted to the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia until the summer of 2019.
“Liverpool are definitely a great club,” Sportiello told Italian newspaper L’Eco di Bergamo. “We are talking about one of the top clubs in the world.
“However, I am happy to be here. This is my first year as a starter and I recently signed a new contract with Atalanta.
“My life has changed in a few months.”
Meanwhile, according to Spanish radio station Radio Marca, Barcelona right-back Dani Alves is set to join French Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.
Alves, 31, is free to leave Barca when his current deal expires on 30 June, and it appears he will be settling in Paris, not Manchester.
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