Gian Piero Gasperini puzzles Roma fans with Lorenzo Pellegrini comments ahead of Derby della Capitale

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Roma take on Lazio this weekend but the pre-match headlines have come from Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini’s press conference ahead of the game. It has been well known for a while that the new manager does not have the greatest opinion of former club captain Lorenzo Pellegrini. The former Atalanta boss had made it pretty clear in the summer itself that he doesn’t see Pellegrini in the scheme of things under him but for whatever reason, the club failed to make it happen.

Pellegrini, who was the captain of the club, till as recently as last season, is yet to play a single minute this season, so far. Injuries haven’t helped his cause but it does seem that his profile is a confusing fit for Gasperini, who prefers either magicians in attack or workhorses in midfield with Pellegrini being somewhat of a hybrid in this situation.

“He’s a strong player, potentially very strong. But at 29, he needs to run, become an athlete. And we need to understand one thing: do I have to recover him on my own? Or are the fans and the club involved? Because if I have to recover him on my own, it’s a problem”, Gasperini told Corriere dello Sport.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens with Pellegrini and whether he plays in the Derby della Capitale against Lazio and if he does, whether he can perform well enough to impress Gasperini.

Kaulik Mitra | GIFN