Matic: Coming to Roma was not a hard decision

The Serbia international joins the Giallorossi after a trophy-laden spell in England, playing for both Chelsea and Manchester United.

"I’m very happy, very proud to be part of this big club," Matic said.

"So first impressions are great so I’m looking forward to training with the team."

You obviously announced a while ago that you were going to be changing clubs this summer, give you a chance to assess your options. What was it about Roma’s offer that made the difference?

"Of course everyone knows that Roma is a big club and also coach José Mourinho, everyone knows that I have already worked with him and that we have a good connection and he was one of the reasons of course why I came here.

"As I said Roma, is a big club with a great base of supporters and is playing in a very attractive league, so for me the decision was not so hard."

As you said this is the third time you’re going to be working with Josè Mourinho, what can you tell us about the relationship you two have?

"I have to say first of all that it is not always easy to work with him, he can be hard, but he is a winner and exactly what I want from my coach and exactly what I want to do in my career is to win. And he is a winner and transfers that energy to the players.

"As I sai,d I’m looking forward to working with him, with the team and I hope that we can make big things together."

Did you have a chance to watch Roma much last season - perhaps the UEFA Europa Conference League final - and what were the impressions of the team you had?

"Yes, I think that the team has potential, of course I watched some games, also because of some of my ex-teammates that I play with and yeah, there is a good potential and I think with a good work we can achieve big things. Let’s see next season what we can do, but I am sure that we can do a lot."

This will be your first experience in Serie A. Was that an attractive element of your decision and also what are you expecting from playing in the league?

"Yeah of course, it is an attractive league for me with a lot of big clubs and I know that it is not easy to play. I like to challenge, I like to challenge myself, I want to compare my quality with the players from other leagues and I thought that Serie A is a great challenge for me and to play for Roma which is a big club, for me is also a challenge."

Pre-season doesn’t start for a few weeks but you’re here today completing all the paperwork, doing everything that needs to be done. What was the thinking behind that and how are you going to be spending these next few weeks before preseason starts?

"Yeah, I had already a couple of weeks of holiday and a few days ago I started training and from today and towards the beginning of the season I will continue my training. I want, not to be ready for the season, but just to come a little bit ready and for the preseason and for everything, that is coming.

"I saw the schedule for pre-season. It is busy so we have to be ready, we have to be focused so I will make sure that I am ready physically."

You’ve had a long career playing at the highest level, but you’ve only actually played at the Stadio Olimpico once, and that was behind closed doors unfortunately. How excited are you at the prospect of finally playing there in front of a full house?

"Yeah, of course, Olimpico is an iconic stadium. As you said I only played once, behind closed doors which was not great but I am looking forward to a full stadium and I’ve heard - and what I saw - is that Roma has great supporters so I am really looking forward to that and I’m very excited."

Have you got a sense a little bit of the passion of the fans from the way they welcomed you, perhaps on the social media?

"Yes, of course since my name was mentioned connected with Roma I started to receive a lot of messages, comments, and yes of course I am happy for that."

So, what are your targets for the season both for yourself personally and for the team as a whole?

"I think that we can compete for every trophy and my target is exactly that, to compete for every trophy to try to win as much as we can, and let’s see.

"I don’t like to talk before the games but I am sure that we will fight for everything."

Finally, is there a message that you want to give the Roma fans?

"I just want to say thank you for all the love that they sent me already.

"I will give my best for the team and for sure we will do something big together."