EVAN FERGUSON WAS forced off with what looked like a lower back injury in the first half of Roma’s Serie A game with Sassuolo this evening.
The score was 0-0 when Ferguson required treatment and needed to be substituted six minutes before half-time.
Speaking afterwards, Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini appeared to play down the seriousness of the injury.
“He took a knock, a serious bruise, we’ll see tomorrow,” he told reporters.
“He was unlucky. They are painful blows that semi-paralyse you and prevent you from playing. He took more than one. I feel sorry for him.
“We’ll see tomorrow, but I don’t think it’s a muscular thing that will take days.”
Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson will be waiting nervously for news on the severity of the problem as his injury problems build up ahead of March World Cup play-off semi-final with Czechia.
Josh Cullen is ruled out with an ACL injury, while striker Adam Idah is set to be another absentee with a hamstring issue.
Regardless, it’s a blow for Ferguson, who earlier today spoke about how he wants to play with a smile on his face and rediscover his best form after admitting he “lost myself” and went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows.
The Ireland international feels his loan spell at AS Roma has been “one of the hardest things I’ve done” but reckons that he is now in “a good place physically and mentally, and know where my head’s at.”
In an interview with Sport Bible, Ferguson also opened up on his World Cup ambitions as he reflected on his time in Italy so far.
Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has not been shy in highlighting some of the 21-year-old’s struggles in adjusting to his demands, but with two goals and an assist in his last three Serie A games, and a brace in the Europa League clash with Celtic before Christmas, there are signs Ferguson is finding his feet.
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“It’s not easy to come to a new place and hit the ground running,” he said. “It’s a completely different league with different play styles. I think when you come over, people expect things to happen straight away, but it just doesn’t work like that.
“It has taken some time. There have been ups and downs, but now I’d say I’m pretty settled. I’m in a good place physically and mentally, and know where my head’s at. I’m ready to build on what I’ve been doing so far.
“I’ve had some difficult times,” he said, in relation to injury issues and a year in which he did not score a club goal, as well as a disappointing loan move to West Ham last season, before once again heading away from Brighton this term.
“I wanted to get back to myself at Roma and get back to scoring goals. I just want to have a smile on my face and enjoy it all.
“Listen, football is not an easy game. I came in, started off really well and then had a few injuries. I stopped playing and sort of lost myself. I lost a bit of confidence.
“It’s a difficult place to be in when you’ve gone from the highest of highs to experiencing those low points. I went from the highest to the lowest. I’ve learned a lot in the past two years or so about myself, both on and off the pitch.”
“At the end of the day, you’re the only person who can make it happen. There’s a lot of outside noise, but you can’t really pay too much attention to that. It’s just you and what you do every day.”
Ferguson said it would be “really special” to reach the World Cup with Ireland and insisted he was not looking at speculation regarding his immediate club future.
“I’m going to try and keep working as long as I’m here,” he said.
Roma's Matias Soule celebrates with the man of the match award. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Meanwhile, Roma moved three points behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan after a hard-fought 2-0 home win.
Down to the bare bones due to a clutch of injuries and players away at the Africa Cup of Nations, Roma moved into third thanks to quickfire late goals from Manu Kone and Matias Soule, which broke Sassuolo’s brave resistance.
Kone thumped home the opener with his head from Soule’s pinpoint cross in the 77th minute to spark delirium in the Stadio Olimpico.
And fans were sure of the three points for their team two minutes later when Soule calmly rolled home Stephan El Shaarawy’s delicate flick at the end of a flowing passing move.
Argentine forward Soule told DAZN he would buy El Shaarawy “a bottle of wine” in front of his grinning veteran teammate, who in stoppage time hit the bar and had a goal ruled out for offside.
“Thankfully, the second half was played in a different spirit to the first, matches get more open as they go on… all we can do is carry on going as we are,” said Soule.
Roma, who had seven players out of action and five academy players on the bench, are level on 39 points with second-placed AC Milan, who play at Fiorentina on Sunday.
Gasperini’s team were a completely different proposition in the second half after a drab opening period in which Sassuolo — 12th and 10 points above the relegation zone — held their own.
“There was more intensity in the second half, but above al,l there was more quality,” said Gasperini.
“I started seeing what I see in training: good play in tight situations and the ability to create danger in the opposition’s area.
“I can only thank the players for their extraordinary commitment and character, but also for their quality.”
Both Milan and Inter, who host Napoli in the weekend’s headline clash at the San Siro, have a game in hand on Roma due to their participation in the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
After Napoli, Inter face lowly Lecce at home on Wednesday, while the next day Milan make the short trip to lakeside Lombard rivals Como, whose hopes of Champions League football were dented slightly by a 1-1 draw with 10-man Bologna.
Martin Baturina’s stunning late strike salvaged a point for Como, who trailed to a goal from Nicolo Cambiaghi netted shortly after half-time. He was later sent off for violent conduct.
Como are four points behind fourth-placed Napoli, who play their game in hand against Parma in Naples on Wednesday.
Atalanta beat Torino 1-0 and continued their climb towards the European places under Raffaele Palladino.
An early strike from Charles De Ketelaere and Mario Pasalic’s solo counter-attack goal in the final seconds gave Atalanta a scrappy fifth win from six league matches and moved Palladino’s team three points away from the Conference League spot currently occupied by Como.
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Evan Ferguson forced off injured in Serie A action for Roma
LAST UPDATE | 4 hrs ago
Updated at 21.56
Collated Italian Serie A results on Saturday:
EVAN FERGUSON WAS forced off with what looked like a lower back injury in the first half of Roma’s Serie A game with Sassuolo this evening.
The score was 0-0 when Ferguson required treatment and needed to be substituted six minutes before half-time.
Speaking afterwards, Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini appeared to play down the seriousness of the injury.
“He took a knock, a serious bruise, we’ll see tomorrow,” he told reporters.
“He was unlucky. They are painful blows that semi-paralyse you and prevent you from playing. He took more than one. I feel sorry for him.
“We’ll see tomorrow, but I don’t think it’s a muscular thing that will take days.”
Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson will be waiting nervously for news on the severity of the problem as his injury problems build up ahead of March World Cup play-off semi-final with Czechia.
Josh Cullen is ruled out with an ACL injury, while striker Adam Idah is set to be another absentee with a hamstring issue.
Regardless, it’s a blow for Ferguson, who earlier today spoke about how he wants to play with a smile on his face and rediscover his best form after admitting he “lost myself” and went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows.
The Ireland international feels his loan spell at AS Roma has been “one of the hardest things I’ve done” but reckons that he is now in “a good place physically and mentally, and know where my head’s at.”
In an interview with Sport Bible, Ferguson also opened up on his World Cup ambitions as he reflected on his time in Italy so far.
Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has not been shy in highlighting some of the 21-year-old’s struggles in adjusting to his demands, but with two goals and an assist in his last three Serie A games, and a brace in the Europa League clash with Celtic before Christmas, there are signs Ferguson is finding his feet.
“It’s not easy to come to a new place and hit the ground running,” he said. “It’s a completely different league with different play styles. I think when you come over, people expect things to happen straight away, but it just doesn’t work like that.
“It has taken some time. There have been ups and downs, but now I’d say I’m pretty settled. I’m in a good place physically and mentally, and know where my head’s at. I’m ready to build on what I’ve been doing so far.
“I’ve had some difficult times,” he said, in relation to injury issues and a year in which he did not score a club goal, as well as a disappointing loan move to West Ham last season, before once again heading away from Brighton this term.
“I wanted to get back to myself at Roma and get back to scoring goals. I just want to have a smile on my face and enjoy it all.
“Listen, football is not an easy game. I came in, started off really well and then had a few injuries. I stopped playing and sort of lost myself. I lost a bit of confidence.
“It’s a difficult place to be in when you’ve gone from the highest of highs to experiencing those low points. I went from the highest to the lowest. I’ve learned a lot in the past two years or so about myself, both on and off the pitch.”
“At the end of the day, you’re the only person who can make it happen. There’s a lot of outside noise, but you can’t really pay too much attention to that. It’s just you and what you do every day.”
Ferguson said it would be “really special” to reach the World Cup with Ireland and insisted he was not looking at speculation regarding his immediate club future.
“I’m going to try and keep working as long as I’m here,” he said.
Meanwhile, Roma moved three points behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan after a hard-fought 2-0 home win.
Down to the bare bones due to a clutch of injuries and players away at the Africa Cup of Nations, Roma moved into third thanks to quickfire late goals from Manu Kone and Matias Soule, which broke Sassuolo’s brave resistance.
Kone thumped home the opener with his head from Soule’s pinpoint cross in the 77th minute to spark delirium in the Stadio Olimpico.
And fans were sure of the three points for their team two minutes later when Soule calmly rolled home Stephan El Shaarawy’s delicate flick at the end of a flowing passing move.
Argentine forward Soule told DAZN he would buy El Shaarawy “a bottle of wine” in front of his grinning veteran teammate, who in stoppage time hit the bar and had a goal ruled out for offside.
“Thankfully, the second half was played in a different spirit to the first, matches get more open as they go on… all we can do is carry on going as we are,” said Soule.
Roma, who had seven players out of action and five academy players on the bench, are level on 39 points with second-placed AC Milan, who play at Fiorentina on Sunday.
Gasperini’s team were a completely different proposition in the second half after a drab opening period in which Sassuolo — 12th and 10 points above the relegation zone — held their own.
“There was more intensity in the second half, but above al,l there was more quality,” said Gasperini.
“I started seeing what I see in training: good play in tight situations and the ability to create danger in the opposition’s area.
“I can only thank the players for their extraordinary commitment and character, but also for their quality.”
Both Milan and Inter, who host Napoli in the weekend’s headline clash at the San Siro, have a game in hand on Roma due to their participation in the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
After Napoli, Inter face lowly Lecce at home on Wednesday, while the next day Milan make the short trip to lakeside Lombard rivals Como, whose hopes of Champions League football were dented slightly by a 1-1 draw with 10-man Bologna.
Martin Baturina’s stunning late strike salvaged a point for Como, who trailed to a goal from Nicolo Cambiaghi netted shortly after half-time. He was later sent off for violent conduct.
Como are four points behind fourth-placed Napoli, who play their game in hand against Parma in Naples on Wednesday.
Atalanta beat Torino 1-0 and continued their climb towards the European places under Raffaele Palladino.
An early strike from Charles De Ketelaere and Mario Pasalic’s solo counter-attack goal in the final seconds gave Atalanta a scrappy fifth win from six league matches and moved Palladino’s team three points away from the Conference League spot currently occupied by Como.
Additional reporting by Paul Fennessy and AFP
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