Baldissoni on Salah, Strootman and Totti's future

Giallorossi general manager Mauro Baldissoni has dropped the biggest hint yet that Francesco Totti will be a Roma player next season.

Speaking to Roma TV just before the squad left Dubai for the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al-Ain, the venue for Friday night's match against Al Ahly, Baldissoni opened up about Totti's future and the incredible popularity of Mohamed Salah in the region.

“The UAE has a population of nine million people, one million of which come from Egypt, so although we’re playing away from home it’s fair to say that Salah is a footballing icon for the entire Arab world," Baldissoni said.

"We’re delighted to have him with us and to be able to benefit from the effect he has on this new audience. It’s different from what Roma were used to before he joined.”

Has Salah nearly equalled Francesco Totti in terms of his popularity - particularly in this region?

“Francesco is untouchable. He’s a legend and when you’re a legend, you go down in folklore, where the divide between reality and imagination is lost.

"Totti goes beyond all that, he’s a universally recognised symbol not just of Roma but of football as a whole.

"Let’s say that Salah has a long way to go before he reaches that level but it’s fantastic to have them together in the same place and see the reaction of the fans.

"In a way they represent the past and future of Roma, though I’ll take this opportunity to say that the past is not yet the past and never will be, given that Francesco will continue playing for Roma and, as you know, will continue to be a part of Roma and of our family for a long time to come in the future.”

How happy are you to see Kevin Strootman being called up to the Dutch national team?

“Obviously Kevin’s return is of technical interest, but it’s also a human issue and something that’s very touching for us.

"We’ve been right behind him throughout this period. He’s an extraordinary player – we all know that – and he’s had a really tough time of it.

"Lots of players have to deal with injuries, but Strootman’s problem was much more serious because of the physical burden involved and the psychological implications of having to deal with such a long rehabilitation process – Kevin basically missed two seasons.

"Having him fully recovered and back playing for Roma was a wonderful feeling for everyone, but for him personally feeling like a fully fit footballer again and being called up to the national team is the proof that his long recovery is finally over. We’re extremely happy about that.”

Finally, what are your first impressions of the UAE?

“The United Arab Emirates is a long way away but culturally it is very close to the West and to Italy.

"The Italian ambassador has come to pay us a visit and he’ll be at the stadium to watch the match against Al-Ahly.

"The UAE generates over €5bn of trade with Italy every year, so it’s certainly a country where Italy means something and the quality of Italian goods is recognised across the board, from fashion to food, lifestyle and thus what you might call culture. Football is part of the Italian culture and that’s why we’re here.”

Roma’s match against Al Ahly will be streamed live on RomaTV+ from 18:00 CET on Friday. Click here to sign up for free to watch the game.