Fazio: We have to have the right mentality every game

After helping Roma to derby victory on Saturday, Federico Fazio dropped in on Roma Radio on Monday morning to discuss the game - and the club's upcoming Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid.

Read everything the Argentine defender had to say...

ROMA RADIO: How great does it feel to win the derby?

FAZIO: "It's fantastic to win the derby and it was an important victory because Lazio are competing up near the top with us. Juventus lost too and that allowed us to make up ground. We must keep going. We do watch other teams' games but ours are the only ones that matter."

Roma tried to play football, managed the opposition's counter attacks well and boxed Lazio in...

"Yes, we know they're very good on the break. We were compact and they didn't have the chance to draw or win the match besides the penalty. We worked well. It was an important fixture for our league position and for us in general as it's always nice to win the derby."

Now you face Atletico Madrid. Is it hard to go into every match knowing you have to win?

"Your mindset is very important. We have to get used to winning, working hard and playing every three days to try and record three points. Atletico are a tough side with Champions League experience and they're hard to play. We're not satisfied with our derby victory. We have to win in Madrid to keep progressing."

The head coach has said he's got into your minds. Is that really the case?

"Yes, from the first whistle we knew it'd be a tough match and that we'd have to attack, press, stay tight and have no fear. We produced a great performance. The Atletico game could be similar. They're a compact unit and they're brilliant on the counter."

The old adage claims you have to defend from the front. That's even more true in Roma's case given how the team defends. You can see the work that goes in on the training ground and we saw it in the derby too.

"Yes, we work on pressing the opposition high up the pitch. We're no longer thinking about the derby though. We face Atletico Madrid in two days' time."

You always look comfortable on the ball but now it appears that the entire team looks more relaxed and has greater self-confidence.

"Yes, that's something I do well. The team has self-belief and we're a tight-knit group on and off the pitch. The players that joined this summer are also doing well. They've settled in really nicely and I know it's not easy to change country and league."

In terms of squad rotation, it appears the coach has told those that are less involved that they're also important players.

"Yes, we've realised that. We're professionals. Obviously we'd all like to play in every game but those coming off the bench are very important - take Juan Jesus on Saturday for instance.

We have to go into the end of the season with the chance of winning something. Every match is important regardless of who plays."