Gasperini says he’s convinced Paulo Dybala will remain at Roma after Verona win

Gian Piero Gasperini said after Roma’s 2-0 win at Verona on May 24 that he believes Paulo Dybala will remain at the club, offering his clearest public comment yet on the forward’s future. The remark came minutes after Roma sealed qualification for next season’s Champions League with the final-day Serie A victory. Sky Sport reported Gasperini told broadcasters he had already connected Dybala directly with the club’s ownership. The comments came as Roma moved into the summer market with one of the team’s highest-profile contract situations still under scrutiny. ### What exactly did Gasperini say about Dybala? Sky Sport quoted Gasperini as saying, “Credo resterà,” or “I believe he will stay,” when asked about Dybala after the match in Verona. In the same interview, he added that he had put the player in direct contact with Roma’s ownership, saying, “ho messo in contatto diretto lui con la proprietà.” (sport.sky.it) The wording mattered because Gasperini did not frame the issue as unresolved from his side. His comments were delivered in a post-match interview carried by Sky Sport in the early minutes of May 25, shortly after the final whistle on May 24. ### What had just happened at Verona? Roma beat Hellas Verona 2-0 on Sunday, May 24, in the final round of the Serie A season. (sport.sky.it) Sky Sport’s match report said the result secured Roma a place in next season’s Champions League and a third-place finish. The Verona match also kept Dybala central to the night. Gazzetta dello Sport’s live report said Dybala was involved in the move that led to the opening goal, after a rebound from Donyell Malen’s penalty. (sport.sky.it) Sky Sport’s match page separately described Dybala as the leading figure in a game that sent Roma into the Champions League. (sport.sky.it) ### Why did Gasperini raise Roma’s ownership in his answer? Gasperini said he had put Dybala in direct contact with the ownership, indicating that the conversation had moved beyond a simple coaching preference. Sky Sport’s report did not identify the owners by name in the quoted passage, but the reference showed Gasperini presenting himself as part of the effort to keep the Argentina international at the club. (gazzetta.it) His broader comments after the win linked Champions League qualification to Roma’s ability to strengthen the squad. Sky Sport quoted Gasperini saying the competition would allow Roma to improve because of its financial value and the level of players it can attract. ### How did Gasperini describe Roma’s season? (sport.sky.it) Gasperini used the post-match interview to argue that Roma had outperformed outside expectations. Sky Sport quoted him saying some people had described the squad as one fit for sixth place, while he had always believed it was capable of more. He also said the team had responded strongly to setbacks. (sport.sky.it) Sky Sport reported that after a 5-1 loss to Inter in Milan, Roma did not lose again, finishing with six wins and one draw in the last seven rounds. ### What comes next for Dybala and Roma? May 25 leaves Roma with Champions League qualification secured and the summer transfer window approaching. (sport.sky.it) Gasperini’s public statement does not amount to a formal contract announcement, but it places the manager on record as expecting Dybala to stay and as saying he has already facilitated talks with ownership. The next concrete developments are likely to come from Roma and Dybala’s camp during the offseason, after a season that ended on May 24 with a 2-0 win at Verona and confirmation of Roma’s return to the Champions League. (sport.sky.it)