Roma midfielder Bryan Cristante has dismissed any notion of players going against former coach Jose Mourinho: ‘It’s full of falsehoods. Speaking to Il Corriere dello Sport,he touched on the Giallorossi’s Europa League ambitions and his own future at the club:
“The international break helped me recover and overcome my back problem. This is why I also skipped the national team. Now I’m ready for the final rush of the season,” said Cristante who was recently left out of Italy’s squad due to a chronic back injury.
“How have I been able to be so consistent over the years? I definitely have a genetic component that helps me recover quickly after a difficult game with lots of effort. But the rest is done through professionalism, which pushes you to respect your body. Knock on wood, I haven’t even had any serious injuries. Continuity is fundamental for an athlete.”
“I’m not that type of player who often ends up on the scoresheet for goals and assists. My features are less visible or spectacular. But I have always earned what I have. If I am recognized as having value within the team, by managers, coaches and teammates, that’s enough for me.”
“The fans? At the beginning we actually struggled to love each other. But over the years I think they have appreciated me too.”
“Mourinho? All the talk about players going against him is full of falsehoods. Football works like this: when things aren’t going well, the first person to be punished is the coach. Even if he is not the only guilty party.”
“Believe me: we only heard what was happening the morning the news was communicated to Mourinho,” he added.
“De Rossi? I will always thank Daniele, who named me as an example during the farewell conference at Roma as a player.”
“This team is strong. And therefore it must be in the top four in Serie A. The goal is to return to the Champions League, there’s no need to hide. It’s been too long since we played with the best.”
“The ownership has been very present in recent months and we are not missing anything. Directly or through the CEO, Lina Souloukou. We don’t feel abandoned to ourselves. The choice to appoint De Rossi was a brave one and a reason to thank the Friedkins.”
“Should De Rossi stay? We’re doing well with him. Yes. The Friedkins will take care of it,” he added.
“Last year we were forced to give up on Serie A and focus on the Europa League due to injuries. This year we don’t want to give up on anything. We cannot allow ourselves to do so.”
“My dream? To win the Europa League and return to the Champions League,” he continued.
“My idea of the future? I see myself staying at Roma forever. I still have three years left on my contract and the club is building the right path here. By connecting all the dots of history we can realize that we have great potential.”
