Ex-Roma midfielder Kevin Strootman – who served the club loyally between 2013 until 2018 – discussed his love for the Giallorossi.
In a recent interview with Il Messaggero, the Dutchman was asked about Roma, his sudden exit from the club and more.
“I arrived when everyone was still depressed after losing the Coppa Italia to Lazio,” he told the Italian newspaper.
“That team then went on to secure 10 consecutive wins and we had lots of fun along the way. There was an immediate feeling with the supporters. And Rome is the most beautiful city in the world. I was with people like Pjanic, De Rossi and Nainggolan, we were a complete midfield. It was impossible to play badly alongside them.”
“Roma remain in my heart. Even when I was feeling down, they supported me all the way,” he added.
“In the end, however, there weren’t the right conditions to continue together. Roma continued to buy midfielders, Cristante, Pastore and then Nzonzi arrived. And I wondered why, where would I end up? I felt that there was no trust in me.”
“I talked about it with Monchi and he told me that I was not on the transfer list. In the meantime Garcia called me from Marseille. Then I learned that Monchi had already settled the price with the French club, He wasn’t honest with me. I spoke about it with Di Francesco and the reaction was not that of someone who would have held me back at all costs. In short, I did not have good feelings about staying any longer. I played the first match of the 2018/19 season in Turin, then we made the decision to separate. What was I to do if I was no longer accepted?”
“Last year I tried to come back even for free,” he admitted. “But Roma didn’t want me.”
“Pellegrini? Don’t compare him to De Rossi or Totti because you’ll hurt him by doing that. Those two are Roma.”