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Ex-Roma primavera Davide Frattesi: “De Rossi was my idol.”

Andy Mattioli
I

Currently at Sassuolo, Davide Frattesi was one of Roma’s more talented Primavera players of recent years.

The young midfielder recently spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport detailing his memories as a Roma youth player, his idols and his regret of having to leave Roma behind.

“Nonno Carmine was my super fan, the one who believed in it the most when I was little. He came to see all the games. He would then write a report card based on my performance and pin it on my door.”

“One time I scored for Roma’s Primavera and he almost had an attack. Impossible not to think about him.”

On the midfielders he admires the most:

“It puts me in trouble because I don’t watch games. If I do, I want to go running after the ball in the garden which I try to avoid. But I can tell you that the strongest mezzala is De Bruyne, even if it is almost an understatement to call him that.”

“Marchisio was a role model in that position.”

“Strootman before the injury drove me crazy because he had strength, pace and quality. De Rossi was my idol and in fact I wear the number 16 in his honor.”

On what he felt when Roma decided to sell him to Sassuolo:

“I felt bad about it. As a Romanista I would have liked to stay. But everything is water under the bridge and now I’m very happy to be at Sassuolo.”

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