Perotti: Training so far has already been intense

Diego Perotti faced the media during a press conference on Monday afternoon at Pinzolo.

Read what the winger had to say in the transcript below.

It’s been an intense start to pre-season. How important is it to get straight back into the swing of things?

“There is a long season ahead so we all need to be training hard to get to 100%. We all realise that and you can see that even the young lads are working really hard.”

Is Eusebio Di Francesco asking you to cut in more than you would usually?

“He’s asked me not to stay out wide all the time. It’s something I need to focus on because usually I like picking the ball up and getting into a one-on-one on the flanks. He’s asked me to cut in a bit, play in between the lines and stay close to the striker. I know that all this will help me to improve as a player and develop my game. I’m sure I’ll be able to up my contribution for the team.”

Are there any similarities between Di Francesco and Luciano Spalletti?

“I think it’s a bit too soon to try and draw any comparisons, but so far the training has been intense. He wants us to play with the ball at feet and keep the tempo high without holding onto it for too long and wasting too much time. He wants us to play forwards. From what I’ve seen so far here and from his time at Sassuolo, he likes to attack and keep the wide players up the field. The intensity of the training sessions is similar to what it was like with Spalletti.”

Monchi has overseen some big-name departures recently. You know him from your time at Sevilla: what can he do to build a competitive squad that Walter Sabatini couldn’t?

“I’m lucky enough to know him very well. At Sevilla he made some incredible signings – players that perhaps weren’t that well known but who became big players and were then sold on for a profit. I have great confidence in him and I think he needs time.

"I think this city is different to Seville in that there is less patience around, but if he’s given the time he needs he’ll build a competitive side and a complete squad. That’s going to be very important for the season ahead – it’s going to be a long one and we need a strong squad. I have complete faith in him, I know him well and I know that he’ll make the right signings.”

Some of your team-mates made some comments on social media following the sale of Antonio Rudiger. As one of the few starters in Pinzolo right now, do you feel worried or do you have faith in Roma?

“First of all we all know what Radja [Nainggolan] is like. He loves making jokes and that’s what he’s done. You can’t take it at face value – that’s the kind of joke we make between ourselves. Maybe he made a mistake by doing it in public, but it’s still just a joke. As I’ve said, I know Monchi well and I’m well aware of what he’s capable of. He’s new here – he’s only just arrived and he doesn’t speak the language yet, so he needs time.

"There’s still a long way to go until the end of the transfer window and I know that he’ll build a great team. We’re in the Champions League this year, which is the most important competition in the world so we need to have a strong squad. That’s what he’s going to create. We’re calm because we already have a good team and he’s added players like [Rick] Karsdorp and [Maxime] Gonalons. I’m sure that Monchi will have a good transfer window.”

You’ve said that the goal you scored against Genoa was the most important of your career. Have you realised just how big a bearing that goal has had on the future of Roma?

“I know just what it means to score a goal that secures Champions League qualification because the same thing happened to me at Sevilla. It was really similar – I scored in the 90th minute for us to finish third. I’m well aware of what it means for the club, and not just in terms of money. The Champions League is really important because playing against the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid is a whole different ball game.

"We had a good year last season but we could have achieved more, like winning the Coppa Italia and getting to the final of the Europa League. We ended up risking losing out on second place, despite beating AC Milan and Juventus at the end of the season. That said, at the end of the day it was a very positive season.”

Monchi has said that you were his toughest signing. Is that true?

“I think he was joking because he signed me from a small fee from a team in the Argentine third tier. I joined the Sevilla youth team and then moved up to the senior squad after 18 months. I don’t think there was anything memorable about my move!”

What do you need to do to bridge the gap with Juventus?

“We’re getting there gradually. We were ten or 15 points behind in my first year, but last season the game was only four points. Juventus show their class against the teams in the middle of the table – they don’t throw away points when the pitch is poor or teams just sit back. Those are the points we need to pick up. Four points doesn’t seem like a lot, but it makes all the difference.”

Is it tough to be competing with Stephan El Shaarawy?

“Stephan and I have a good relationship even though we play in the same position. He had a great end to the season and the competition is positive for both of us because it means you can never rest on your laurels. You know you have a player breathing down your neck who could take your place at any time, so I think it’s good for us and good for the team.”

You seemed disappointed not to get an Argentine call-up in March. Are you thinking about next year’s World Cup?

“It’s tough when you’ve not been called up for nearly six years, but the hope returns whenever there is a change of coach. It was hard because the old coach called me and told me I’d be in his next squad, but then he didn’t pick me so that was a blow. I want to have a good season here and give myself a chance of going to the World Cup, but I don’t have the same level of hope I had two or three years ago.”

Why do you think you didn’t play so much last season as you did when you’d just arrived at the club?

“I was a starter for the first six months of the season, but then I injured myself after Christmas against Genoa and the coach changed the system, meaning there were fewer attacking players in the team. Radja [Nainggolan] was moved further forward and to be fair he scored a lot of goals and produced some top-drawer performances. That meant that I started less, but I always came off the bench. All I need to do is focus on the team and perform well whether it’s for 90 minutes or just ten – I think I did pretty well off the bench last season. Now that we have a new coach, we all need to show that we’re capable of playing and performing well for Roma.”

Would you like to wear the No.10 shirt like Diego Maradona?

“I’ve always loved that shirt number – all of my favourite players have worn that one. However, I think it will always belong to Francesco [Totti] and I don’t know if anyone else will be able to wear it. It would be a pleasure but I would never ask for it because I think that would show a lack of respect.”

What’s the base objective this season? Are you worried about Inter, AC Milan and Napoli?

“Given who we are, we need to be aiming to compete on all fronts, not just in one or two competitions. It’s going to be a long, tough season, but I’m sure it’ll be exciting and I know that any player would love to be involved. The other teams are strengthening and have made big signings, so I hope that this season will be like the ones I used to watch as a kid, when all the best players plied their trade in Serie A.”