Interviews

Ex-Roma man Justin Kluivert discusses his years in the capital

Andy Mattioli
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - JULY 29: Justin Kluivert of Bournemouth looks on during the pre-season friendly match between AFC Bournemouth and Atalanta at Vitality Stadium on July 29, 2023 in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Ex-Roma attacker Justin Kluivert discussed his spell in the Italian capital which recently came to an end with a move to Bournemouth.

After two loan spells at Leipzig and Nice, Kluivert signed a permanent deal with Bournemouth in the Premier League.

In an interview with Stats Perform, Kluivert described his journey from Ajax to Roma.

“I arrived in a new, very different environment from Amsterdam where I lived with my mother and brothers and moving to a big city like Rome to play for a big team playing in the Champions League was very difficult,” said the Dutch attacker.

“Furthermore, the coach and the staff who signed me there left after six months. So there was a new coach, a new director, who had his own plan and this too was something I had never faced in my football career. At Ajax everything was fine, everything was beautiful. I was playing, I felt good and then suddenly you sit on the bench for four or five games. It was something I had to learn to live with, but I have a lot of good memories related to Roma.”

“I played some good games, especially in my second season there, where I finished with seven goals. It wasn’t bad, but the end of the season wasn’t as I hoped and I think for Roma too. It was also the time of COVID and it wasn’t a good moment for me, because I was doing well and I had been selected by the national team for the EURO, but it was canceled due to the pandemic and it didn’t go so well after that.”

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MatchDay 33
19 Apr 20:45
Roma
Verona
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