El Shaarawy previews Roma’s new season: “We must get off to a strong start.” | OneFootball

Stephan El Shaarawy spoke to Sky Sport at the end of today’s training session.

The Italian attacker discussed, among other things, working with Gian Piero Gasperini, the captain’s armband and the new season.

“This year, the Champions League goal is definitely one of our priorities. We must try to achieve it, as well as try to do better than last season in Europe too. Everyone is very enthusiastic about achieving this goal.”

“Gasperini? He was the first coach I had and gave me my Serie A debut, so I know him well. He’s a master on the pitch, a direct coach both on and off the pitch, capable of developing players and getting them to perform at their best. He asks for a lot of intensity, with the desire to develop both the team and the individuals. He is, without a doubt, a very experienced coach.”

“It required a lot of intensity: it was definitely a demanding preseason, during which we trained well and achieved positive results. We had the opportunity to get to know our new teammates and the feeling is very positive.”

“The captain’s armband? It’s definitely a source of great pride, I’m very proud of it. Wearing the captain’s armband is a great satisfaction and also a great responsibility. The armband isn’t just worn on Sundays: I try to be a good example for everyone during the week. That’s what we, the most experienced players who have been here for a long time, try to do.”

“You need the right mix: experienced players and players with a bit of a carefree attitude. We older players try to instill the right spirit, and that’s what we’re doing in this retreat. The Roma shirt is important, it must always be respected and honored, and this is what the young players must understand right away.”

“The league has always shown that there can be many surprises. Napoli and Inter are certainly the most structured and organized teams, but last year there were other teams that surprised. Now they’re all trying to strengthen themselves in a more solid and concrete way to be competitive. We’re focused on doing well and improving on what we did last season. The important thing, I think, is to start strong and not find ourselves forced to play catch-up, as happened last year.”