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Zaniolo grabbed his first-ever goals in the competition in the second half at the Stadio Olimpico, turning the tie in Roma’s favour – before a strike from Porto’s Adrian Lopez left everything very much in the balance.
And, speaking after the game, Zaniolo acknowledged that while he personally had enjoyed an unforgettable night, the team still has a lot of work to do to get through to the quarter-finals.
“It’s a special night for me – I will never forget it, but there’s still the second leg to come and I need to think about the team and not myself,” Zaniolo said.
“The goal we conceded will make things tougher. We need to work hard to get through to the next round.”
He added: “Yes, I ran a lot today – but I’m happy to run for this team. Scoring in front of the Curva Sud is a special feeling, I don’t know how to describe it. I hope to score a lot more goals in front of this Curva.”
Zaniolo was also asked about the aggressive style Porto employed.
“We prepared for the way they play, to not give them anything – because in attack they are strong and they always look to counter-attack,” he said.
“The second leg will be tough, just like every game is in the Champions League. I am confident that if we play like we know we can then we will get through.”
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