Spalletti wants team full of Nainggolans

Roma’s Radja Nainggolan is a player who can do everything and represents the next evolution of the footballer, according to his coach Luciano Spalletti.

The Belgium international struck two brilliant goals in a 3-1 Serie A win at Inter on Sunday that kept his side seven points behind league leaders Juventus, leading Spalletti to hail the midfielder’s gifts.

Spalletti insisted he could fill his Roma team full of players like Nainggolan and the team would continue to be effective, due to his versatility and commitment.

“He is a player who is able to do everything,” Spalletti told reporters ahead of Wednesday’s Coppa Italia semi-final against city rivals Lazio. “You can ask him everything and he can do it.

“I have seen [the media] trying to find adjectives to describe him or ways to compare him to others. One of the descriptions or headlines about him could be: he is the evolution of the football player because you can win with 10 players like him.

“You can have a terrific team. His position is not important. You can have an amazing team with 10 Nainggolans.”

On @OfficialRadja‘s form: “It’s easy for me to bask in the glory but I don’t deserve credit. He’s a top player.” https://t.co/BXrI0EsvYU

— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) February 28, 2017

With Roma facing a tough challenge to catch Juventus at the top of league table the Coppa Italia may be their best chance of silverware this season, and Spalletti believes facing Lazio adds extra importance to the semi-final.

“The derby is treble value,” he added. “It is not double value. It is treble value.

“First of all, the game itself, getting to the final – which is the most important thing – and what it means to our fans.

“This time we have to dig even deeper. The derby takes a lot of qualities, there’s less of a gap between Lazio and Roma than there is between Juventus and Torino, which means it will be a more balanced tie.

“The emotional factor can give you something and take something away, there can be a bit of fear, fear to carry on with the concepts of your play.

“When fear knocks on your door you must have the courage to open up and look it right in the eye, then the fear will go away by itself.”