On the eve of the big match against Napoli, Lorenzo Pellegrini gave an interview to “Morning Footy” on CBS Sports.
The number 7 openly discussed his deep connection to the capital, the team’s growth under Gasperini’s coaching, and his unwavering ambition to bring the club back to Europe’s premier competition.
During “Footy Kit Friday,” Pellegrini spoke about the most important jersey he’s received on the pitch: “OK, but I’m a lucky guy, because I already wear my favorite jersey, you know? So I don’t usually swap jerseys with other players, but one of the jerseys I treasure most is Messi’s. I got it when we played against Argentina with the national team, because I really like it.”
On the impact of the new coach and the work done: “There are many things. When you change coaches, it’s important for me to do it at the start of the season. Because at least you have preseason to understand what he asks of you. But I’m very happy to be coached by Gasperini; he improves you a lot, even technically. For what he asks on the pitch, the body position, the constant verticality, always trying to be very offensive. I really like these things. I can only say positive things about him.”
The Giallorossi player then focused on the pressure that the Champions League objective puts on us: “Yes, it puts a little more pressure on us, but ultimately it’s what we want, what we’re working towards. As for me, I think we haven’t played in the Champions League for many years, and that’s not good for a club like Roma, in my opinion. We’re on the right track because we started a new project at the start of the season. Last year, we missed out on the Champions League by one point. So we’re trying to look at every detail, everything we have, to do our best to win the game.”
On his love for Roma: “It’s an incredible feeling because when you’re a kid, you don’t expect it. So you’re born here, you live here, and you dream of being a footballer. But if you talk to any kid here in Rome, they’ll tell you, ‘I want to be a Roma player.’ 100%. Because we have this tradition; we’ve always had Roman captains, Roman players. I’m a very lucky boy because I have what I really wanted; I was able to win with this shirt. I started playing for Roma when I came here to Trigoria at 9 years old, and I played my first match when I was 18. But right now, even this morning, when I put on the shirt, I have that feeling of, ‘Okay, you’re a very lucky boy.’”
Finally, on his career path: “When I decided to join Sassuolo, I was 19. I decided because I wanted to improve and I thought, ‘OK, maybe I’m not ready to make my dream come true at 18 right now.’ They were two very special years because at Sassuolo, you can live well and play. You don’t have the pressure you have here, especially if you were born here. And you know the rest of the story, right? Every year, every step is important in making us who we are. So I think I’m very proud, and it’s a real honor for me to have the chance to wear this shirt every day.”