Mario Hermoso opened the scoring in the 21st minute before Nahuel Molina doubled the advantage shortly before half-time. Niccolò Pisilli made it three seven minutes into the second period, and Donyell Malen completed the scoring from the penalty spot in the 58th minute.
Gasperini was pleased with the chances Roma created, although he felt the finishing could have been sharper, particularly before the interval.
“I hope it is both things,” he said when asked whether the team’s attacking improvement came from training or a change in mentality. “It is not improvisation: there is application. You can always improve, but there also needs to be a mental switch. The team is playing well and everyone is trying to make important plays. We look at the things we need to improve: we could have made better use of some chances, especially in the first half.”
The AS Roma coach also highlighted the value of giving more players meaningful minutes as the fixture schedule intensifies. He said the team had approached the match seriously, knowing victory was essential, and welcomed the competition for places within the squad.
“I like the fact that everyone wants to earn more minutes,” Gasperini said. “In the first half we were also a little too elaborate, then we became more precise.”
Roma’s next European assignments will provide a considerably tougher test, with Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain awaiting them. Gasperini described such matches as exceptional opportunities for development, but admitted that injuries remain a concern when games arrive so frequently.
Lorenzo Pellegrini was forced off with a muscular problem. Gasperini did not believe it was serious, but cautioned that these injuries can require around 20 days of recovery. With Paulo Dybala also unavailable, he warned that Roma could be short of options in attack during the coming run of fixtures.
“We have recovered Cristante, but now we lose Pellegrini,” he said. “In certain areas we are really a little short.”
Gasperini praised Roma’s performance against Slovan but insisted the team must avoid becoming satisfied with its own progress. The challenge, he said, is to maintain the same seriousness and consistency when the level of opposition rises.