Rudiger: Everyone knows the derby is massive

The Germany centre-back, who has made 22 Serie A appearances so far this season, is preparing for his second Derby della Capitale – at 15:00 CET on Sunday – after starting the previous meeting in November.

“We all know what sort of game this is; you don't need anyone to explain it,” the 23-year-old said. “Obviously [Daniele] De Rossi has been reminding us how important it is to the city.

“It's a massive match for everyone and especially the fans. Hopefully we'll win it. I think we're better than Lazio but the derby is important to them too. They have some good players and we'll see who comes out on top at the final whistle.”

You'll be up against fellow German Miroslav Klose.

“He scored a hatful of goals in Germany and he's a very good striker. It's not just a battle with him though, but the whole team. We'll have to be wary of other great players like [Antonio] Candreva and Felipe Anderson and all fight hard together.”

What do you think of the fact that this could be Francesco Totti's last derby?

“It's my first year at Roma and it's an honour to train with him. I've seen so many clips of his performances in past derbies and those games are partly what has made him the legend he is today. It is a bit sad to think this might be his last year but life goes on.”

What's changed for Roma under Luciano Spalletti?

“I think we're doing a fantastic job. We're conceding fewer goals and overall we're all playing really well. You can see how things have changed for the better on the pitch. We're a well-drilled side – that's clear. We're firing on all cylinders up front too. The lads regularly switch positions and they're performing well.”

What was it like for you to beat Italy with Germany in midweek?

“It was important for us to end that run or 20 years or whatever it was without a win against them. And now that I'm living in Italy I wanted to win it even more so that my team-mates couldn't take the mick out of me when I came back to Rome.”

Who do you think are the favourites to win Euro 2016?

“It could be my first big tournament but it's hard to say who the favourites are. Everyone will be looking at us of course because we won the World Cup.”

What do you think your future holds?

“There are so many key matches ahead of us that it's really not a priority now. I'm focused on the here and now – the derby on Sunday.”