Roma director Gianluca Petrachi has sung the praises of coach Paulo Fonseca.

Petrachi admits the Portuguese has changed the direction of the club.

“I was surprised by the way he dealt with pressure," said director of sport Petrachi.

“We had several injuries all happening at the same time, so it'd cause anyone problems. I read interviews with representatives from other clubs who were missing one or two players and they acted as if it was the end of the world. Roma were without seven first choice players simultaneously.

“Paulo adapted so well, as shown by the way he transformed Gianluca Mancini into a very effective midfielder. It wasn't easy, but Fonseca continued to give the squad a sense of courage, even in an emergency situation. If you feel sorry for yourself or complain about bad luck, you take strength away from the team."