Diego Perotti looks back at last Fiorentina v Roma played at 3 pm

The Giallorossi ran out 4-2 winners that day, with Gerson bagging two and one each from Kostas Manolas and Diego Perotti – the Argentine's goal finally putting the game to bed. It's a game Diego still remembers well today.

“It rained a lot, the weather was terrible, but we came away with the three points,” he recalls. “It was a great win for us at a tough ground after they'd pegged us back twice. Gerson made it 1-0 and then 2-1. Fiorentina had [Jordan] Veretout, [Giovanni] Simeone, Davide Astori, and [Stefano] Pioli was in the dugout, like now.

“I generally remember the games I scored in – also because there weren't that many of them. I remember I controlled the ball well from Radja [Nainggolan]'s long pass. I brought it down perfectly to line myself up for the shot and score.”

Your first touch was one of your best qualities.

“That's right. I wasn't a regular goalscorer, so I needed other elements to my game, like beating my man, controlling the ball and technique in general. I think I did some good things for Roma.”

You helped us win the first game you played for Roma, against Sassuolo in 2016. Luciano Spalletti played you as a false nine even though you'd only joined from Genoa 24 hours earlier. That was an interesting tactical move.

“It's true. And I was playing in the same position when I scored another goal against Fiorentina in a fantastic match at the Olimpico, when [Mohamed] Salah, [Stephan] El Shaarawy and I all scored and we won 4-1. Can I say something about Stephan?

Go ahead.

“He played on the wing like me, although we were slightly different players. Unlike me, he's always had a knack for scoring goals. Just look at his scoring record for Roma, and not only. We both joined in the January transfer window in 2016. And Stephan is still at Roma now.”

Another player you played with who's still here is Lorenzo Pellegrini. Can we say the way he's picked up this season under Gian Piero Gasperini is similar to what happened to you with the same coach at Genoa? He helped you find form again after a particular period of your career.

“Yes, you could say that. I've always said that Gasperini rejuvenated me. He gave me confidence at a time when I wasn't playing much and had been through several injuries. He trained me and essentially rebuilt my fitness by adding a load of intensity and that's what helped me take off again. I had some great seasons at Genoa which earned me a move to Roma and an Argentina recall. I owe him a lot. Lorenzo could do the same because there's no disputing his technical ability. If he cranks up his fitness, he can have a great season.”

What's your opinion of Roma in these first few games with the new coach?

“It's going well. They've won games and they're top at the moment. They've played some really nice football at times. It's normal to blow hot and cold. It takes time to build a solid team with a clearly established way of playing. Two or three months in the summer is not enough to create the finished article. They lost their last Europa League game against Lille but things like that are part of the process.”

As a penalty taker yourself, what did you make of those three penalties taken by Artem Dovbyk and Matias Soule?

“I'll tell you one thing: when it comes to penalties, the most important thing is having the courage to step up to the spot. And Dovbyk and Soule did that. When you're standing in front of the goalkeeper with 60,000 people in the stands, a few minutes before the end, anything can happen. The goal looks smaller than it does when you watch on TV. It's easy to judge from your armchair. They could have gone one way or another. The keeper moved early and going through it first person is not easy. I was able to keep my cool until the last second – it was one of the attributes I worked on so that I could help my team.”

What did Roma mean to you?

“When you join a new club you always try to do everything you can and hope to win over the fans. But Roma is different to all the other clubs I played at. The club gets inside you. The city is amazing. My kids are Roma fans. One is in the Roma youth academy. We're all huge fans. We've moved here for good with my family. And we're happy.”

How would you describe Roma in one word?

“A gift. For me, for us, Roma was a gift.”