"If this is Roma tonight, I must work to ensure we can play the same way on Thursday, then the game after that and after that," De Rossi told DAZN.
This was already a united group before, I did nothing about that. If you are not solid, you don't go all the way in two consecutive European competitions.
I try to be honest with players, treat them as human beings first and players second, to be clear if I see something I don't like. Obviously, I have an advantage that I already knew a few of them and was their teammate, so they went easy on me."
He added: "I worked on their fitness, tactics and my ideas of football. I like that we played better today than last week, the team is improving and understanding what I want from them, how to develop this style of football. It needs a real physical effort and work off the ball, otherwise it becomes futile.
I try to put quite an attacking team out, as I know there are players who can score at any moment. There are characteristics that these players have which must be respected and made the most of."