Hermoso speaks ahead of Celtic

Here's what our defender had to say.

What happened on the pitch in Cagliari and have you spoken to Michael Folorunsho in private?

"I haven't had any contact with him. It's a delicate matter and I don't think it's my place to comment on his words or what happened on the pitch. They're quite self-explanatory. I think it's up to the Lega to decide and establish what attitudes, comments and words are acceptable.”

Did you feel at any point in the summer that you weren't part of the club's plans?

“I joined Roma at a difficult time for the club. There were several changes in the dugout and it was a tough few months for me football-wise and on a personal level. I had the opportunity to join Leverkusen in the January transfer window and that gave me the chance to feel the things you need to feel as a footballer. I felt important and until I got injured everything went well.

“Ahead of the new season, given the way things went during my previous spell at Roma, it was hard for me to see myself continuing here. It seemed like the club was looking for a different type of player more in line with the route they were going down, but when the new season began the boss and I had a chat on the first day and I asked to be given the chance to have a normal pre-season, which was something I hadn't had the previous season. The boss gave me that chance and said he'd judge me on my work on the training ground.

“I'm very grateful to him. He helped me get back my joy to train and play and take on challenges without fear. In that sense, I think we're quite similar – we both go about our jobs with no fear. In light of everything that's gone on, I hope to continue this relationship for a long time. I think we're seeing the results too – both on a personal level and as a team.”

Leaving aside their obvious differences, have you noticed any similarities between Diego Simeone and Gian Piero Gasperini? Maybe in what they ask of you and how they're able to get you performing at your best, like now.

“The coach was a pioneer and one of the first to introduce a three-man defence – not just in the way you defend but also the way you build from the back and try to create numbers-up, cutting out the opposition forward and making space for the midfielders, the strikers and the runners.

 “It's a type of football I like a lot and one that I'm suited to, both with and without the ball. As I said earlier, when I first joined I wasn't at my best personally or physically. It wasn't a good time for me, especially after so many years at Atletico Madrid. I guess the similarity with Simeone is his ability – and this is something that sets coaches apart – to convey feelings to the team: on the pitch, in the dressing room, to a group of 23-25 players with different languages and cultures, and different ideas about football. It's a very difficult task to make sure that, regardless of who plays and in what position, everyone is pulling in the same direction.”