Roma starlet Pisilli opens up on breakthrough season and Gasperini demands | OneFootball

Roma starlet Niccolo Pisilli had a breakthrough 2024-25 campaign as the 20-year-old cemented himself as an important part of the Giallorossi squad.

The midfielder played 28 times in Serie A and made a further 11 appearances in the Europa League in what was his first full season as a part of the first team.

Niccolo Pisilli and Roma director Florent Ghisolfi

Pisilli thankful for ‘honour’ of playing at Roma

Speaking to the Corriere dello Sport, Pisilli opened up about his breakthrough season, and the contract renewal that came earlier this year, saying “You have to earn your place at Roma every year but now I am starting from a different foundation. The coach knows me better than last year when I had only just been promoted from the Primavera.

“It was an honour for me to continue playing at Roma, and it was a beautiful and important moment to me because it marked the end of Niccolo as a youth player and the start of Niccolo in the first team. That’s why I want to thank all the coaches I’ve had and the club for the trust they’ve shown in me.”

epa11763593 Niccolo Pisilli of Rome (L) scores during the Italian Serie A soccer match AS Roma vs US Lecce at the Olimpico stadium in Rome, Italy, 07 December 2024. EPA-EFE/ALESSANDRO DI MEO

‘We must get used to Gasperini’s demands’ – Pisilli

Pisilli also spoke about new Giallorossi head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who joined the club from Atalanta this summer:

“We have to get used to Gasperini’s demands and those of his staff as quickly as possible. We’re working hard, as we should be, hoping that good results will come soon. It’s a tough period but we know that we will reap the rewards later down the line. It takes a bit of time to get to know each other but we are fully committed.”

Pisilli had a busy summer, playing in four of the Italy U21 side’s European Championship fixtures this summer, coming on as a substitute in the quarter-final tie that saw the Azzurrini knocked out by Germany. Earlier in the season, the Roma youngster also made his debut for the senior Italian national team, coming on for the last ten minutes of the side’s 2-2 draw with Belgium in the Nations League in October of last year.