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Ex-Roma player Bruno Peres discusses his time in the capital, working with Fonseca & more

Andy Mattioli

Former Roma fullback Bruno Peres – who recently won the Turkish league with Trabzonspor – spoke to Gianluca Di Marzio of Sky Sport about his time in the capital following a brief loan spell in Brazil.

“If I have a regret, it’s that in those two years in the capital I could have done much more,” he said.

“Rome is a difficult place and I felt accomplished. I could have done much more, but if I hadn’t made those mistakes, now I wouldn’t be the person I’ve become: you’re wrong, you learn, you grow, that’s how it goes.”

On working with Fonseca, Peres commented “He was special for me: he told me that he wanted me back, and that he expected me to help him. That there wouldn’t be any non-sense. A nice responsibility, right?”

“[Former spirting director] Petrachi had even convinced him to change the formation, switching to a three-man defence. ‘You have to leave Bruno run free on the flank,’ he had advised him.”

“I played well, and it gave me a lot of space in the team. And communicating in Portuguese helped me a lot. In fact, sometimes too much.”

“When I was angry, without thinking about it, I sent him to hell in my own language… which was also his! He understood it on the fly, and he said to me: “What are you doing?” I didn’t even think about it right away. Then I realised…”

Finally, on Di Francesco, “A very tough and prepared coach.”

“I made a goal-line rescue against Shakhtar in the Champions League. Without my intervention, we wouldn’t have been able to pass the round in the return leg.”

“That year was very positive for Roma and that episode allowed me to get closer to the fans.”

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MatchDay 25
16 Feb 18:00
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