Roma attacker Cengiz Ünder appeared in the latest edition of AS Roma Match Program. These are his words:
Let’s start with the magical night of the Champions League. An important milestone for Roma: the team, the club and the fans.
Against Shakhtar, it was my debut in the Champions League. I also scored the first goal in Ukraine and it was great. Then we won the second leg 1-0 and we are very happy to have reached the quarterfinals. Obviously our commitment is to give our best until the end with the support of our fans.
What were the emotions?
As I said, these were the first Champions League matches for me and I’m glad they went well. We work in the best way possible to prepare for every match to the fullest. We want to win all the upcoming matches.
How much weight did the support of the fans have?
I think the supporters influence the match because we feel stronger on the pitch with them. We feel more alive, they give us strength. Playing for fans like that makes you start the match already winning 1-0 and I think Shakhtar felt their presence. We know that our fans are strong and will continue to support us in the next matches.
Now the league returns. On Sunday, Crotone awaits, a team that is fighting for safety and needing points.
We are not interested in their situation: we are among the top three teams in the league. It does not matter if they need points. We will train as best as we do for every match. We’re going to Crotone to win.
How difficult is it, after a night like the Champions League, to regain concentration and face a team that is struggling?
We will prepare for this match as we prepare for any other: in the best way. We do not want to have a drop off in concentration. We will certainly win, but it will be a difficult match. Since they risk relegation, against us they will have a lot of ambition. But as I said, we must not allow ourselves to lose concentration. I do not think we risk it happening, we will play our game to the maximum.
