De Rossi on new contract, Totti's farewell, his gratitude towards Spalletti and more

See everything the 33-year-old midfielder had to say during the interview, where he fielded questions from fans and the interviewer alike, in the transcript below.

Why are you here?

“Well, the papers have ruined the surprise a bit so I guess everyone knows, but we’re here – dressed like this – because I have renewed my contract. It was already in the air and we’ve been discussing it for a while, especially in the last month. Today was the best day for it seeing as we’re all going away later.”

Have you wiped away the tears from Sunday yet?

“I tried really hard to fight them back at the stadium. It was a truly amazing day – not just for us Romanisti but for all sorts of people. My wife, for instance: she's not a Romanista, she just comes along for me and she couldn't care less about football but even she was tearing up, so you can imagine what it was like for those of us who love this club and see Francesco as one of the family.

“It's even stranger for me personally because I've always worked in the same place and there are four or five people who have always been here: one is the kitman, another is Vito [Scala]. Then all of a sudden one of those guys is taken away from you, though not really out of the blue because it's something you might expect at 41. But all of a sudden it's like, well, tomorrow I'll go in to Trigoria for training and he won't be there anymore. It's weird.”

You likened Roma to a family – now you're the head of the family.

“It's not going to change that much for me. I've been one of the oldest about the place for a while now – perhaps the oldest after Francesco. I've always tried to carry the family on my shoulders, sharing the weight with Francesco and other players obviously. But it's not that I'm going to have any new or more difficult tasks next season. I'll be doing much the same things as this year – just without this big loss.

“The fans will play their part too. It's painful for all of us but they can help by turning the pain into desire and getting even closer behind the team. We're going to miss the captain just as much as they will and we'll need to pull even closer together – ideally like on Sunday. There were so many of them and they showed so much passion but then it was a very special day.”

What did it feel like to score in a game like that?

“Well, it was very intense but also very short-lived! If I'd scored the winner at 2-1, after the game against Porto when I took Roma out of the Champions League, it would have been really nice if I'd got us back into the Champions League this time – symbolically, I mean. But just a few minutes later we were brought back down to earth. Looking at how the game ended, that goal at the death was even more of a rush. It was a fantastic day.”

Which is your favourite goal?

“I don't know, I haven't scored many. Perhaps the one against Siena in our 11-match winning run during Spalletti's first spell. It was a tricky period and we were struggling, then I hit this lovely long-range strike and ran over to the away stand which was packed and I almost fell into this banner in memory of [Antonio] De Falchi. There were lots of little things that made it special and when I look back at the pictures I remember that as being a wonderful moment.”

And your favourite from this year?

“This year I scored two penalties, another which I nearly missed, another in an open goal... I think Sunday's was probably the furthest one out – just a bit more than 12 yards!”

How many tattoos have you got?

“Lots! Some of my family say too many...”

Young people or old people saying that?

“Someone the same age as me... No, lots of them. I've promised I'll never get any on my hands or neck – that way I can come here and sign contracts and look respectable.

“I've got this really nice one of St Peter’s and Castel Sant'Angelo. Paolo Murtas, a Sardinian guy, does them for me and we've become good friends with over the years. He's a real artist. I 'm really fond of this one because it's where I live – between St Peter's and Castel Sant'Angelo. I love it.

“As for how many... I really don't know. Lots!”

Where are you going on holiday?

“Well this ties into what I was saying before. I’m going to Japan. I’ve never been there before and I’ve just found out that tattoos aren’t looked on very favourably there. If you have tattoos you’re pigeon-holed a bit. Tattoos aren’t very popular but I’m sure you see tourists in the streets and on the beaches in short sleeves. We’ll have to wait and see whether I’m welcomed with open arms or not!”

When did you agree the contract?

“I signed it today but it’s been done for a few days. I requested that it wasn’t mentioned on Sunday because that was a day dedicated to another person, to another player, to a story that was coming to an end – although it will never really end. We wanted it to be announced afterwards or in advance. The agreement was already there but we signed it today because people have to head off and I’m going away on international duty.”

After Sunday, it’s given us all a real boost to see both you and Kevin Strootman extend your contracts.

“Yeah, although Sunday was something else altogether. I think there’s a strong base to kick on from. Kevin has bought into Roma and everything around the club more and more since he arrived – he’s quite an atypical Dutchman because he’s very warm and very passionate about the club. As you know, I’m also really passionate about my job and in that sense I see myself as a worthy replacement for Francesco – maybe not in terms of my technical ability and quality, but definitely as regards my emotional bond with the club.”

How do you sum up the season just gone on personal level?

“I think it’s been one of my best two or three seasons of my career. It just so happens that almost all of my stand-out seasons have come under the stewardship of Luciano Spalletti, so I’d like to say a few words about him. It’s no coincidence that him coming back to the club coincided with me finding my form. I want to thank him because he’s always treated me very well. This season is all the more special for me because before the season before that I kept being struck down by the same injury. It’s one thing if you pick up different injuries but when it’s always your calf you start thinking that it’s never going to end. I’m really grateful to the medical team for helping me get through it and to Damiano Stefanini, who’s our physiotherapist and helped me no end. I believe that when you get to 34 the most important thing is that you only play when you’re in peak physical condition.”

What’s your favourite TV series?

“I’m a sucker for them. I wanted to get a tattoo with five or six characters from my favourite TV series. I like Breaking Bad, Sons of Anarchy, Broadwalk Empire – I prefer the US series. Peaky Blinders kept me glued to the TV screen. It’s my favourite pastime after the kids fall asleep, though unfortunately my wife always drops off too and I end up having to watch bits again. I’ve watched the first few episodes of Fargo, too. I’m an animal – I can watch 20 episodes in a row, though it’s always depressing when you get to the end of a series. Right now we’re watching Fargo and 1993, which is a very good Italian series.”

How long will you continue playing for?

“You’ll have to make do with another two years for now! Part of my thinking was that after Francesco [Totti], it would have been a big blow for fans to lose the other symbol of Romanismo. There’s Alessandro [Florenzi] too but he has many years to show his love for the club. I think losing two symbols at once would have been less than the fans deserve.”

What’s your favourite food?

“I like everything, unfortunately. As a Roman, carbonara is one of my favourite dishes but sadly we footballers can’t have it very often. I’m a big fan of Roman cuisine – offal, tongue, tail. I love all that. I’m also a huge ice-cream lover. I always have a big ice-cream on Monday nights, seeing as it’s the furthest point from a match-day.”

Watch the full interview (in Italian) below...