AS Roma coach Eusebio di Francesco says they'll be stronger for defeat to Real Madrid yesterday.

Di Francesco is unconcerned by the result.

“I think my team is not quite at 100 per cent. But that's fine – it's the start of the season that counts," Di Francesco told Roma's official website.

“We have been working hard, the workload has been tough for a few weeks and that has had an impact on the legs.

“It has been a long tour, a lot of travelling involved, and the choices we have made have been done with the idea of getting everyone at 100 per cent in time for the first game of the season.

“There are a lot of things we can improve on.

“We were playing a great team, perhaps the best in the world, and perhaps we could have done better with some of our defending – especially at the beginning."