Gasperini confident Roma has its strength back
Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini is confident his Roma side is in better shape than it was a few weeks ago ahead of its trip to Torino after welcoming players back from injury and adding new signings.
Roma has won three of its past four Serie A matches, and sits fifth on the table.
However, Gasperini's side comes into this game on the back of being knocked out of the Coppa Italia by Torino, which clinched a last-gasp 3-2 win to reach the quarter-finals.
Torino os 11th on the table, with 23 points, and had lost its previous two league games before that midweek triumph.
But with three key players returning from suspension, and Evan Ndicka back in the squad after the Africa Cup of Nations, Gasperini has confidence they can bounce back.
"Better [shape] than the last 15 or 20 days, between the end of December and January, because Ndicka has come straight back in, and we're past the suspensions to [Mario] Hermoso, [Gianluca] Mancini and [Bryan] Cristante," Gasperini said.
"[Lorenzo] Pellegrini will return in attack, and most likely [Evan] Ferguson will also come back in. He's taken a big bruise but seems to have got over it after a week. He'll train and could be called up.
"Two new players have come in [Donyell Malen and Robinio Vaz], so we've definitely made up some of the numbers.
"We'll go to Turin with regrets about the Coppa Italia exit, but this is the league. We've had excellent results and are in an excellent position, so it's just another game."
Malen joined Roma from Aston Villa on Saturday (AEDT), having scored seven goals and registering two assists in all competitions this season.
Gasperini is excited by the addition of Malen, who he believes will be a potent threat for Roma in front of goal.
"He has the right characteristics, and like all players who come in, might need a bit of time to settle in and start playing consistently," Gasperini added.
"But he's a player who played a lot for Aston Villa and is a starter for the Netherlands national team. I'm convinced that they'll like him a lot.
"He's currently a centre-forward, that's the role he prefers, where he can make the most of his speed and his ability to shoot with both feet. I think he has to play close to the goal."
