2021 in Review: Pellegrini reflects on captaincy, Mourinho and all the highs and lows

Those may have been the two highlights - from a personal perspective, at least - but plenty more beyond that has happened over the last 12 months: from changes in the dugout, to ups and downs on the pitch.

Ahead of the start of the New Year, we caught up with the Italy international midfielder to get his reflections on everything that happened in 2021...

The year started brightly, with two wins and a draw against Inter that had the side in third place. But then a defeat in the derby was followed by elimination from the Coppa Italia against Spezia … what sort of impact did those four days have on the side?

“They definitely had a negative impact. We know what it means when you lose the derby, even before considering that we were in a good spot in the table at the time and a win would have really helped us push on. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. Then Spezia was another blow; both for the match itself and then everything else that went on afterwards which made things worse. But we bounced back straight away by beating Spezia in the league thanks to my last-minute goal.”

Those were difficult days – but they did also coincide with you becoming the club captain, from that second Spezia game onwards. From a personal perspective, was that a turning point?

“Yes, it was a bit of a turning point – although it did not come about in the way I would have wanted. But becoming the captain was an incredible honour for me, and a responsibility too. That being said, I would have liked it to have happened in a different way. At that time the club decided that it was the right moment for me to become captain but I think that Edin Dzeko remained one of the ‘captains’ even if he didn’t have the armband – like I was before and like Gianluca Mancini and Bryan Cristante are now.”

And, going back to that 93rd minute winner against Spezia, what did that game and that moment mean for both you and the team?

“It was incredible. In fact, I did something I never thought I would do after a goal – I took off my shirt. That goal really helped us shake off everything that happened in the days prior. After six solid months up until that point it felt like we had thrown everything away in those four days. So that victory helped us to get back on track and rediscover some momentum. And that momentum helped us in the Europa League as well.”

Over the weeks that followed form seemed to be very inconsistent in the league – what had gone wrong, and why did things seem to go differently in Europe?

“Last season, after the home game against Crotone, I did an interview where I said we were annoyed with ourselves because we had subsequently realised that we had been thinking about the Europa League more than Serie A. That comment was taken a bit in the wrong way but what I meant to say was that, in that moment, with so many injuries and suspensions and few options to rotate, it was often the same 11 players in every game, Thursday and Sunday and Thursday again. And during that period we felt like the Europa League was the fastest path for us to achieve what we all want most of all: to win a trophy and celebrate it with our fans.

"The games in Europe got more intense with each passing round and, coming back from the away legs at three in the morning on Friday, it happened that we had a bit less energy in the league at the weekend.”

What part of that run in the Europa League do you remember with most satisfaction?

“The second leg against Ajax [at the Olimpico], because in my opinion they were the best side in the competition and yet we were really struggling through tiredness when we faced them, both in Amsterdam and in Rome. At full-time we realised what we had achieved and therefore what we could be capable of achieving in the competition.”

Then there was the Manchester United tie. With so many first-half injuries, we nevertheless were ahead at the break at Old Trafford thanks to your goal. How many regrets do you have about how that game ultimately panned out?

“So many regrets. The game finishes and you find yourself with so many questions about what happened, questions that you can’t find answers to. I don’t know if it has ever happened that three players have got injured in the first half of a game. And important players too: Jordan Veretout, Leonardo Spinazzola and Pau Lopez. And Jordan’s injury was just two minutes in, so the plan we had prepared for the game went out of the window straight away. Despite all that we were 2-1 up at half-time; and then what happened in the second half was even harder to believe.”

Before the second leg, the news was announced that Jose Mourinho would be the coach from next season. What sort of impact did that news have on the players?

“It was a thunderbolt: no-one expected that news. When a coach like that is announced as the new boss it creates an enthusiasm that I think you still see at every game at the Olimpico. It gives me goosebumps to see, when we are playing on Monday night against Spezia for example, that there are 45,000 fans there to support us – that doesn’t happen for other teams. So that needs to give us the boost we need to go and make everyone proud, from the fans to those who work around us every day at Trigoria.”

Mourinho’s arrival coincided with Paulo Fonseca’s departure – what do you remember from his two seasons, a period completely disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic?

“Coach Fonseca always tried to pass on his way of seeing the game to us and, in my opinion, he left an impression on many of us. He taught me a lot, he helped me to improve and I will always be grateful for that. I have a really good relationship with him. Situations like what happened after the Spezia game in the Coppa Italia, or the pandemic and everything that came with it, certainly didn’t help – but I am sure he will find the right project for him and that he will do very well.”

This summer you were forced to miss out on the European Championship due to injury. How hard was that for you – but how happy were you for your teammates, both club and country, when Italy won?

“I was in touch with my teammates throughout their run in the tournament. I was like a fan who also knew all the boys going out on the pitch, so I was even more emotionally invested. You felt like there was something special in the air, it’s a feeling that is hard to explain. It was three years of hard work to build a group of players who were all focused on the same target.”

What did you think when Leonardo Spinazzola went down injured?

“I was at dinner with my wife and it ruined out evening. I immediately knew that we were talking about a serious injury. When I saw him on the floor, crying, it was a real gut punch. I called the medical staff at the club to find out if there were any updates. But I am sure that Leonardo will return better than ever before – he’s not just a great player but he’s a great person too.”

July saw Mourinho arrive and the team go away for pre-season in Portugal – what’s the main thing that first struck you about the way he liked to work?

“What I like most about the boss is that he is interested in just one thing: working hard to try and find new ways to win. That’s what I want most of all too. I am 25, I am playing for Roma and I want to win. All the work we do is about wanting to achieve that target and I too, as a player, want to win and want to finish first. Mourinho is exactly what those of us at Roma – the players, the coaches, the staff and the fans – all needed. I think he was the perfect choice at the right time.”

What I like most about the boss is that he is interested in just one thing: working hard to try and find new ways to win

- Lorenzo Pellegrini

New players arrived, and you were the captain for a pre-season for the first time. How did you find that experience?

“I really enjoyed it. I think everyone knows that I am very calm person away from the pitch but if we are on it, whether it’s a five-a-side or football-tennis or keep-ball, then I want to win. I demand a lot of my teammates and I think that’s an important thing. I really believe in the importance of training, I’m one of those who things that on Sunday your performance depends on how much work you put in during the week. It’s crucial to keep high levels of concentration and fitness so you can put into practice everything you work on during the work. And that’s the attitude that I try to pass onto my teammates.”

The new season saw fans return to the Olimpico – how much of a relief was it to see them back again?

“We really felt the absence of the fans, especially in the beginning. For those of us who have experienced it there really isn’t anything better than hearing the reaction of the fans after you do something good on the pitch, or when they scream your name after you’ve scored a goal. Without fans in the stadium it felt a bit like we were missing the reason we all play, even if that is not totally the case. But even from afar the fans supported us in ever game. Getting used to their return was quick and easy, though – it makes such a difference from an emotional standpoint and they give you so much more energy.”

The season started with a goal from you in the win over Trabzonspor and then saw the team win the next six games in a row too…

“We were so fired up to start the season. But we still have the same hunger now – you can’t let that go and you can’t let it be affected when you don’t win a game or so. We’ve begun a new journey, with one of the most successful coaches of all time and with owners that care about Roma in the same way we all do. Everyone’s target is to keep on improving and to turn Roma into a winning club – not one that does it once every 20 years but one that is ready to compete each and every season.”

After that great start, though, there were a few ups and downs that followed. How did you analyse things then and what did you work on in order to find more consistency?

“We worked on everything, both mentally and physically, even after we won games. After starting the season it can happen that you have a few dips in fitness that you need to work through. There is also the tactical side of things: at the start of the season you still need to study all the other sides and so there are a lot of things that can change, improve or get worse before you find a bit more of a rhythm. The key thing is that you keep focused on improving each and every day. You can’t stop, you can’t give up and with the help of the coach we make sure we don’t do that.”

From outside you seem a very united group, that even painful defeats don’t break the bonds…

“Defeats really hurt and that’s how it should be. I like to see the dressing room down and angry after we’ve lost a game. But this is a united group because we have more than one captain. We’ve got a dynamic that means we can keep the right perspective within the dressing room even during the difficult moments – and that’s something we want to make sure we retain.”

One of the lowest moments was the defeat against Inter at the Olimpico. What did you make of the fans continuing to support the side throughout that one, though?

“That was the only positive part of that night. Like all the fans who were watching from the stands like I was, and all my teammates too, we really took that defeat hide. Unfortunately when something like that happens you need to analyse everything to find ways you can improve.”

In the Europa Conference League you won your group, although not without difficulties along the way. How do you explain the games against Bodo?

“Everyone here understand how bad the loss in Norway was. We need to keep that one in our heads to make sure it never happens again. Sometimes you are going to lose games, but it can’t happen that you lose one in that fashion. We struggled a bit at home as well but we need to look at things as positively as possible. We won the group, we are into the last-16 and we can keep on believing we can reach the business end of the competition.”

The year finished with a big win over Atalanta and then the slight disappointment of failing to capitalise against Sampdoria…

“In Bergamo I think we realised that we are capable of facing the teams that are above us in the table – and that are further along in their projects than we are – and can hold our own. Against Sampdoria we let slip a chance that we shouldn’t have done. But that’s how it is; from both the good and the bad we need to learn the lessons and kick on in 2022.”

How tough was it for you to miss much of the last part of 2021 due to injury?

‘Really tough. All of us want to be able to contribute to the cause in each and every game, to help our teammates out when we can and have them help us out too. But unfortunately it is what it is. I hadn’t been in top shape for a few months and then I got this injury which, if nothing else, has given me the time to recover from the earlier problem too. I left things in good hands though and I am hopeful I’ll be back and at 100% as soon as possible.”

This year five Primavera players have made their first-team debuts – how does it feel for you to watch them as captain, seven years on from your own debut?

“I know what they are going through, because I’ve been through it before too. I always try to help them with a few words of advice or an observation, if I think something could be done differently. Overall I have to see all the young players that have been called up to help the first-team always put in maximum effort and do everything that we ask of them. Young players need to be given the freedom to make some mistakes – but you can’t ever lack effort and application and concentration. If they are training with us then it’s not because they are lucky, it’s because they deserve it – but they need to show the deserve it each and every day.”

We’ve got a dynamic that means we can keep the right perspective within the dressing room even during the difficult moments – and that’s something we want to make sure we retain.

- Lorenzo Pellegrini

2021 will forever be the year you became club captain, and renewed your contract too. How much has it meant to you?

“As I said when I signed the contract, for me it was always something of a formality. In my head and my heart I was always focused on here and I am proud to be bonded with the team I grew up with. The captain’s armband is something I feel I have to do justice to - not just during every game we play, but also each and every day I’m training with my teammates and I am around the people that work at Trigoria. That’s something I feel strongly about.”