Juan Jesus sees Inter game as chance for Roma to reignite season

The defender knows better than most the challenge that awaits in Milan, and is aware that the Giallorossi will have to be at their best if they want to turn around their recent run of poor form and get a positive result against Luciano Spalletti's side.

"We’ve had a tough spell, but we need to stay focused because it’s not going to be an easy game," the Brazilian told the club's match programme.

"We’re up against a side that is doing well in the table, but they’re not in the best of form at the moment either. We need to take this chance to kickstart our season."

How are the concentration levels within the group following the holidays?

"Morale is high among the group – sometimes a bit of a break does you good. It’s important to pause for a while and recharge your batteries. The break was really beneficial because we were able to rest and now we can get back to being the side we were a month ago. We need to learn from what has been a difficult month to ensure we don’t make the same mistakes again. We know how much quality we have and we know we can do a lot better."

How do you explain the team’s unconvincing performances in recent weeks?

"This period has been tough for everyone – the coach and the players. We were trying to do our best but we just couldn’t get the results. From a physical perspective, our performance against Atalanta was excellent. We are able to analyse the games we play so we know the stats involved. That said, unfortunately we weren’t able to get the result we wanted. We need to show more quality and more courage, because we play for Roma and we should be taking a few more risks. Our duty is to go that extra mile when it comes to the final ball or shot on goal… that’s what we’ve been missing."

How keen are you to avenge the defeat to Inter earlier in the season?

"Inter are always a tough team to face. I used to play in Milan and I know what it’s like. Roma v Inter is always a good game. Earlier in the season we hit the woodwork on multiple occasions but they ended up winning. We need to learn from what happened in that game and improve in defence. In our efforts to win the game, we left ourselves too open and they managed to score. We need to stay nice and relaxed – it’ll be a good game to play in and I’m sure we’ll enjoy ourselves."

What are the Nerazzurri’s main strengths?

"It’s easy to point to [Mauro] Icardi. He’s a top player and he’s in great form. [Ivan] Perisic is very good on the wing too. Inter have a great squad and they’re not doing well in the table by chance. That said, we have a lot of quality too so we need to show what we can do and play our own game."

From a defender’s perspective, how do you go about taking on Icardi?

"I know him well, having faced him as an opponent when he as at Samp and then played with him at Inter. He’s lethal in front of goal. He’s the best fox-in-the-box striker in Europe. He need to stay really focused and not give him any space."

It’s going to be a special game for you…

"I’ll be going back to San Siro again and it’s always a special moment. Last year, we put in a huge performance and got a deserved win at San Siro. I played well personally and I hope to do the same on Sunday."

It’s a vital game in terms of the league table too.

"The result will have a big effect on the league table because we’re all really close together, so if we were to get the win it would be a massive step forward for us. It’s important that we approach the game with the right mentality and try to win the match. We need it to give us confidence for the rest of the season. We have a lot of matches coming up over the next few weeks and we need to get as many points as possible on the board."