Cristante's Reflection on Roma's European Exit: 'Tired? We Can't Blame Fatigue'
Midfielder Bryan Cristante shares his analysis of Roma's defeat in the Europa League round of 16, emphasizing the team's accountability for the result.
The midfielder analysed the Giallorossi’s defeat and elimination in the second leg of the Europa League round of 16The match between Roma and Bologna in the second leg of the Europa League round of 16 was a real nail-biter. In this Italian derby, the two sides went into the game level at 1-1 from the first leg, with goals from Bernardeschi and Pellegrini, and both players were key figures in tonight’s encounter as well. At the Olimpico, the match ended 3-3 after normal time; in extra time, Bologna won with a decisive goal from Cambiaghi – who came on in the second half – in the 111th minute. The Giallorossi are therefore out of Europe, whilst Italiano’s side advance to the quarter-finals, where they will face Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, who knocked Lille out in the round of 16 with a 3-0 aggregate score over the two legs.In his post-match comments, Bryan Cristante expressed his deep disappointment at being knocked out in the dying minutes: "We shouldn’t have conceded all those goals; we’d done brilliantly to come back," the Giallorossi midfielder told Sky Sport. "We’ve only got ourselves to blame; we’re disappointed to be out because we thought we’d approached the game in the right way. Perhaps there’s more fatigue in our legs, even though that shouldn’t be the case at this stage of the season. Now we need to roll up our sleeves because there’s another crucial match on Sunday.”Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
A Dissected Defeat
The clash between Roma and Bologna in the Europa League round of 16 second leg unfolded as a tense showdown. Following a 1-1 draw in the initial leg with contributions from Bernardeschi and Pellegrini, both players played pivotal roles in the subsequent match. The encounter at the Olimpico concluded 3-3 in regulation time; in extra time, Bologna clinched victory with a crucial strike from Cambiaghi, who seized the opportunity in the 111th minute. Consequently, Roma bid farewell to their European ambitions, while Italiano's squad progresses to the quarter-finals, where they are set to face Unai Emery's Aston Villa post their triumphant advancement past Lille with a convincing 3-0 aggregate triumph.
Regret and Responsibility
Following the disheartening elimination, Bryan Cristante articulated his profound disappointment at the last-gasp departure: "We shouldn’t have allowed those goals to slip through; our efforts in mounting a comeback were commendable," shared the Giallorossi midfielder in a dialogue with Sky Sport. Expressing a sentiment of self-critique, Cristante acknowledged the team's culpability in their untimely exit, stating, "We're crestfallen to bow out, especially as we believed our approach to the game was sound. Despite feeling potential fatigue in our limbs, such weariness should be inconceivable at this juncture of the season. Moving forward, it's imperative that we rally and refocus for another pivotal fixture on Sunday."
