EMERSON PALMIERI: "ENJOYING MY FOOTBALL AT ROMA"
Emerson Palmieri recently sat down with Roma TV to speak about the unity within the group and his respect for Garcia, while also looking back on his Giallorossi debut, against Palermo last Sunday.
Emerson, you’ve been here for over a month now. How are enjoying your Roma career?
“I’ve learned that you need to love what you do – that’s the secret to happiness. I love what I do and I’m really happy to be at Roma. I’ve not been here long but I’m already starting to love the shirt, the club and everyone who has welcomed me and treated me so well ever since I’ve been here. I feel at ease and I’m focused solely on football and Roma. I’ve never seen such passionate fans as the ones at the Olimpico – they love the club so much.”
You said that you love football and you love this club, but what’s your dream as a player?
“I’m here to stay and I’m not thinking about anything else. I joined the club for the long term, to spend my life with Roma. That’s why I’ll give 100% in every match, every training session, because the experience I’m having really is incredible.”
You’ve defined yourself as a warrior on a number of occasions since you arrived here. Is your character one of your best strengths?
“Yes. I love this job and wear my heart on my sleeve every time I go out onto the pitch. I never give up, no matter the result or how the game is going. Playing football is my life. I’ll always be a warrior and I’ll always fight for every ball and every inch of the field, showing my will to win at all times. I’ve always been that way ever since I was a kid and I’ll continue to be, because this is my life and I’m not going to give anything away: I’ll always be like this.”
What’s it like to train alongside so many great players in Trigoria?
“It means a lot to me. To tell you the truth, I would never have dreamed that one day I would end up playing alongside the likes of Francesco Totti, Daniele De Rossi, Edin Džeko and the rest. I already played with great players at Santos, but having grown up at the club I didn’t really grasp what it meant to be sharing the pitch with them. Everything has been fantastic ever since I arrived here and I’m really happy with how things are going right now.”
What is the group dynamic like at Roma?
“Two days after I arrived, I already felt like I’d been here for a long time. We have a very united group and that’s important if we want to win the league. It’s fundamental that we all pull together to pursue the same objective. We’re on the right track and our goal is to win every competition we’re involved in.”
Having watched the first few weeks of the season, who do you think are Roma’s biggest opponents?
“It’s tough to say who the best team in Serie A is. The Italian league is very even, maybe the most even league around. It’s very hard to win the championship here because there are five or six teams fighting for the title. We’re a strong side but we have to prove that on the pitch through actions and not words. We all know that football is a results business. At the end of the season, we want to have shown that we are the best team.”
Let’s look back at your debut against Palermo on Sunday. Have you recovered from the excitement yet?
“I was very happy after that game. Even the day after the match, I still hadn’t quite come to terms with having worn the Roma jersey in a competitive game for real. I was still really excited. It was a fantastic feeling, both for me and my family. Now I need to keep working hard to earn myself more opportunities.”
(Photo LaPresse)
