Garcia: Roma goals remain the same

Roma coach Rudi Garcia has refused to change his team’s objectives despite continuing their perfect start to the Serie A season.

Gervinho’s brace and goals from Alessandro Florenzi, Mehdi Benatia and Adem Ljajic saw Roma to a resounding 5-0 win over Bologna on Sunday.

Garcia’s men are two points clear at the top with six wins from as many league games, scoring 17 goals and conceding just one.

But he said their goals for the campaign were unchanged, as they aim to secure a European place for next season.

“I haven’t changed my mind,” Garcia told Sky Sport Italia after their big win.

“Our objective is to get back into Europe and at most to get into the final sprint with the other favourites like Napoli and Juventus.

“We’ll see when we play against them what level we’re at. They are only two points behind us and that’s nothing.”

Gervinho struggled at English Premier League side Arsenal before moving to Roma in August and the Ivory Coast international has made a solid start in Italy.

Garcia said Gervinho, who has scored three goals for Roma since joining, just needed to believe in himself.

“He is a lad who needs confidence and we must understand that scoring opportunities he creates don’t exist without him there,” Garcia said.

“He can get some wrong, but I prefer to have him there because I know he’ll create those opportunities.

“Gervinho has more experience now, is happy with his Roma team-mates and it’s easier for him to play with such talented players by his side.”

Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi echoed his coach’s thoughts, but said his team may have started thinking about possibly winning the league.

“This victory adds points and confidence. We no longer wet ourselves the way we used to in the past,” he said.

“It can happen that someone makes a mistake, but we play like a real team now.

“Scudetto? We are top after six rounds, so it’s normal someone is going to think about it, but we are not the strongest team.

“Our objective is to get back into Europe and I’m sure we’ll achieve that.”