Football
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Roma boss Rudi Garcia takes responsibility for Sampdoria defeat

Roma coach Rudi Garcia says he accepts all of the blame for his side's 2-0 loss to Sampdoria on Monday night -- a result which compromises their hopes of playing in the Champions League next season.

Rivals Lazio, who sit in third place, have reduced a 12-point deficit to now trail second-placed Roma by only a point with 11 games of the Serie A season to go, while Napoli, Fiorentina and Sampdoria are all not far off the top three, which qualify for Europe's elite club competition.

And speaking on the eve of Thursday's Europa League last-16 second leg against Fiorentina, Garcia said if the finger is to be pointed at anybody for the decline, then it should be pointed in his direction.

"Leave the players alone because they need to play with desire and faith," Garcia told a news conference. "I assume all of the responsibility and then we'll draw our conclusions at the end of the season. The only way we can get out of this situation is with our football, and for this, the players need faith."

After Monday night's defeat -- Roma's first in Serie A since the start of November -- Garcia said he would "never be a burden" on the club.

He clarified those remarks on Wednesday, saying that he will only leave if he thinks it is in Roma's best interests.

"I've learnt to love this team," he said. "The day I no longer feel I can be useful to the club, then I will stand aside. But for as long as the players follow me, I will be staying here because it is my dream to win with this club. I'm not going to give up at the first sign of difficulty. I'll be here to the end and will push these players to success."

One of those players is Gervinho, who received the majority of the boos from the Stadio Olimpico crowd against Sampdoria.

The Ivory Coast international has been made a scapegoat for Roma's recent problems, but Garcia has leapt to his defence.

"Gervinho is the same player the fans were loving last year," Garcia said. "He does need to score more in the league, but he's got the quality to do it."

Throughout the news conference, it was almost forgotten that Roma face a pivotal Europa League clash with Fiorentina on Thursday -- after a 1-1 draw in the first leg, the tie is finely poised.

"It's a difficult moment of the season for us, but we've got the chance to go through and we've got to beat Fiorentina," Roma midfielder Seydou Keita added.

"It's in moments of difficulty that true champions lift their heads and get down to work. It's only normal that the fans are angry, but we need them to win tomorrow. We just need to work hard and I'm sure things will change."

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