De Rossi ready to be a role model to younger team-mates

Daniele De Rossi is not one to shirk his responsibilities and the midfielder has no issue with being one of Roma’s most experienced campaigners, as he prepares to embark on his 16th season with the club.

“I always try to lend a hand and immediately bond with the young players, though I’m no world beater myself,” said the Giallorossi midfielder during the press conference ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League play-off first leg at FC Porto.

“Here at Roma, I know there’s a chance that young players might struggle when they first join but they all have a good relationship with me. Leo Paredes in particular, especially because I’ve known him for a few years now, but Gerson has also settled in well.

"With me, it’s a case of what you see is what you get. I’m more experienced but they all know they can have a laugh with me as if I too were a young player. Having more experience doesn’t faze me but it does make me think that I have to be more of a role model than perhaps I was in years gone by.”

Tomorrow night, Roma face the first half of a two-legged tie to move into the Champions League proper and De Rossi is fully aware of the importance of the game at the Estadio do Dragao: “It will be new for me too tomorrow night, I’ve never been involved in the Champions League qualifiers. I’ve played a few Super Cups in August, which were of course important, but the feeling with this play-off is that the result could change the course of our season one way or another.

"Our frame of mind will alter based on how it goes. It’s not a final but it’s like a last-16 or quarter final. It’s a crucial fixture just like the Real Madrid tie last season. I don’t have any advice for my team-mates, they also have huge experience and I feel that they’ve grasped what a big match this is.

"I’m also sure that Porto know what an important game it is too. We'll see two teams that are ready for such a crucial fixture.”

Do you feel fitter than you have been in a long while?

“Saying that today wouldn’t be the brightest idea because we’ll have to wait and see how I get on over a number of games. I felt good this summer and I had confirmation of what the coach alongside me [Luciano Spalletti] told me when I was younger. Working well is not enough, you have to work hard, really graft. That is even more true once you get older. You have to put in even more than before. What was once enough no longer is and I know I must work even harder.”

Almost the entire backline has been upgraded, what’s your take on that?

“Over the years I’ve learned that it’s very hard to predict anything in August. Typically, when a team has had a good season – like we did last term – the fewer changes the better. There’s a fine balance to strike when it comes to the defence and the coaching staff will have to do even more work to get everyone on the same page and working as a unit. Some good, experienced players have joined who will quickly settle in. I don’t see any particular issues and I’m sure our backline will be solid.”

Which of the new signings has impressed you the most?

“All the new players have gelled well, they’re well-known, established players who we can really rely on. He’s not new per se but the one who has really impressed me in terms of how much he’s come on is Leo Paredes. He’s come back a more mature player and I believe that a season away from the club, under a very good coach, has done him the world of good.”

Could Portugal’s win at Euro 2016 give a team like FC Porto a lift?

“Portugal’s top stars all play abroad but the excitement generated will be a huge help to the Portuguese club sides. The same happened to us in 2006 – although the enthusiasm quickly faded – and for a time we all felt even better with our club sides.”

Porto have made big changes. Who do you think is their chief threat?

“They’ve changed a great deal but I think Porto’s strength over the years has been their ability to sell quality players and unearth young, talented replacements. No one player scares us but their team play and the style they’ve always shown do. Indeed it’s the changes that they’ve made which mean we can’t relax and even the players we don’t know as well will no doubt be decent footballers."