Bryan Cristante acknowledged the palpable disappointment from Roma fans following their Europa League elimination by Bologna, which resulted from a 4-3 extra-time loss. He remarked, “We thought we had control.”
Across both legs of the Round of 16 tie, the Giallorossi failed to take the lead at any point. Lorenzo Pellegrini’s equalizer at the Stadio Dall’Ara was a response to Federico Bernardeschi’s initial goal.
In the second leg, Jonathan Rowe initially gave Bologna the advantage. Although Evan Ndicka scored to level, Bologna quickly established a 3-1 lead with goals from Bernardeschi and Santiago Castro.
Roma fought back to force extra time, thanks to a Donyell Malen penalty and another goal from Pellegrini. However, Nicolò Cambiaghi ultimately secured Bologna’s progression to the Europa League quarter-finals, where they will face Aston Villa.
Cristante Reflects on Roma’s Mistakes
“We ought not to have conceded so many goals,” Cristante told Sky Sport Italia. “We fell behind, made a strong comeback, and felt we had the situation under control in extra time, poised to score the winning goal. Yet, the outcome was the opposite.”
Following the final whistle, when Roma players approached the Curva Sud to acknowledge the supporters, they were met with jeers and an angry reaction from the ultras, who signaled for them to turn away.
Cristante added, “We’re collectively disappointed to be out. The fans clearly expressed their frustration. It’s difficult because we had recovered, felt confident in our strategy, but still lost.”
Roma’s challenging period persists; they are now winless in five competitive matches and have fallen from fourth to sixth place in Serie A.
The question arises whether the team is suffering from an injury crisis and increased fatigue due to relying on the same core players consistently.
Cristante concluded, “While fatigue can be a factor at certain points in the season, we were in a strong position to advance in the Europa League. We can’t use fatigue as an excuse; we simply need to buckle down and push forward.”
