De Rossi ignoring meaningless pre-season predictions

Speaking on Sunday ahead of the club's friendly match against Liverpool in St. Louis on Monday, the midfielder was asked about his thoughts on the forthcoming Serie A title race - and in particular whether he agreed with media assertions that reigning champions Juventus remain in a dominant position.

De Rossi pointed out that pre-season predictions are rarely accurate.

“Some people have always been keen to predict the season as early as August or September, sometimes there was a feeling that we had a strong chance and other times that we did not,” De Rossi said at a press conference.

“Football has taught me that the perception there is in August or July is not always real, and not important. What matters is to work hard and build a strong team.

"We are a strong team that plays the right way. We need continuity, but we have had six months with the coach now which helps."

He added: "We will try to win the first game, then the second, then take everything a game at a time. Against a team like Juventus it will be very difficult, but football has taught us that it can happen anywhere – see Leicester or Portugal at the European Championship.”

The player is entering the final year of his contract with the Giallorossi - but has insisted that discussions about his future will have to wait until later in the campaign.

“I’m calm because I’m not thinking about whether or not it is the last year,” he added. “That is something I will talk about at home with my family, sooner or later I will have to think about it but not right now.

"It could be the last season, so why not try to make it the most beautiful of my career? My aim is to have a great season. I do not think right now about what I will do, a veteran player must listen to his body and every decision I make will make with calmness and rationality.“