El Shaarawy: Roma on right track ahead of playoffs

“I think we’re on the right track,” declared the Giallorossi No.92 after their 2-0 win over Montreal Impact on Wednesday night. “We’re where we need to be as a group. We have a strong squad here and all we need to do is believe in our ability.”

Roma, who won’t be seeded for the playoff draw on Friday 5 August, will face one of Manchester City, Porto, Villarreal, Ajax or Borussia Monchengladbach for a place in the Champions League group stages.

“They’re all very good sides,” acknowledged El Shaarawy. “That said, we need to focus on ourselves and play our own game. The concentration and spirit we show throughout the tie will be more important than how strong each team is. We need to stay focused and determined. Let’s concentrate on preparing well, then we’ll see what happens."

What did you think of the game against Montreal?

“It was a good match. We’ve had two games really close together so we we’re not in perfect shape but I think we did quite well in terms of what we created. We gave a bit too much away but I think that was partly down to fatigue. Those kind of lapses are to be expected at the start of the season. We need to work on our concentration and on those finer details to ensure we’re ready for our upcoming matches. It’s important that we keep looking forward, get more minutes under our belts and build up our confidence.”

Like the other international players, you already look to be in good shape.

“I’m getting back to it. I feel good physically and especially mentally. I’m really confident for the season ahead. Right now we need to prepare well for the playoffs, which are vital for us.”