Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini has opened up about his commitment to the club and recent challenges in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport. The midfielder addressed various topics, including his relationship with coach Claudio Ranieri, his role as captain, and rumours about his future.
Pellegrini expressed his contentment following his goal in the recent derby, stating, “I feel good now, though I’ve been feeling well for a few weeks. Perhaps there’s been too much talk about my mood. It was normal for me to be angry when things weren’t going well for all of us.”
Speaking about his relationship with Ranieri, Pellegrini praised the coach’s impact: “Ranieri has been exceptional. He’s restored the serenity that we, the team, and the city needed. We’ve always had a good relationship. For instance, our famous chat before the Lazio game lasted only two minutes. Then we hugged. I care for him and respect him as a person even more than as a coach.”
The Roma captain also addressed misconceptions about his personality: “Sometimes my reserved nature is misinterpreted, as if personality is only about making noise. For me, personality is about being yourself.”
Pellegrini firmly dismissed transfer rumors, asserting his commitment to Roma: “I’ve never thought about leaving. I’ve experienced many tough moments, but also wonderful ones. I’m not someone who runs away. I believe that in the face of difficulties, one must take responsibility.”
He added, “Roma isn’t like other clubs: if you buy Roma, you buy all of Rome. Here, a normal moment becomes beautiful, a beautiful one becomes wonderful, and a negative one becomes a disaster. Roma is all about passion, and I live this passion 100%.”
Regarding his role as captain, Pellegrini stated, “The captain’s armband doesn’t weigh on me at all. It’s always been a source of pride and responsibility that lasts all week, not just on Sundays.”
When asked about the potential arrival of Vincenzo Montella as coach next year, Pellegrini responded diplomatically: “It would be interesting. As a child, I played as a forward and celebrated like him, then I found him as a coach in the youth teams. I respect him a lot. But I never have a say in these things; I don’t make the decisions, contrary to what’s been said in the past.”
