Gregorie Defrel, the Roma attacker who’s on loan at Sampdoria, spoke to Corriere dello Sport, on the eve of facing his parent club and even discussed his future. These are his words:
Do you wish for revenge on Roma, who sent you on loan to Samp after only one season?
No. I’m not looking for alibis or excuses: if I didn’t do well in Rome, it’s my fault and I’m the first to be disappointed with how things went. I wasn’t ready and then you mix that in with injuries and different tactical choices, and it was certainly disappointing. Clearly I’d have liked to have done better.
Do you speak with any of your ex-teammates?
Yes, especially in the last few months — I have heard from several of them and they’ve complimented me on my season with Sampdoria. I often speak with Lorenzo Pellegrini, who was with me at Sassuolo: we are very close.
Are you sorry for the dismissal of Di Francesco?
Very much because I spent two good seasons with him at Sassuolo: he believed in me, he made me improve a lot as a centre forward and we qualified for the Europa League. I don’t hold a grudge for how things went in Rome, we spoke after the first match and I really appreciate him as a manager. You will see that he will return to a bench and do nice things.
Are you thinking about the future?
No because right now, the only thing that matters is the end of the season. I’m fine here and I’m happy with both Giampaolo, who is really good, and with my teammates. We’ll see if we can finish in a European place. However, Roma own my rights and I was very happy when I signed for the Giallorossi, but I took this year to relaunch myself and I really want to finish it in the best way possible.
So don’t you dismiss the hypothesis of returning to the Capital?
I absolutely do not rule out having a second chance with the Giallorossi. When the season ends, we’ll take stock of the situation with Samp. For now, I am very calm and focused on myself.