Marten de Roon has spoken after Roma's Serie A win over Genoa, in which he scored against Real. Asked about his feelings after the goal, he said: "I was so happy, I didn't know what to do, my wife was in the stands and I ran towards her." He added that he was pleased with the performance: "We reacted perfectly, a difficult first half where we moved the ball too slowly. In the second half, a more mature game. A good reaction with players who had not yet played very much."
De Roon said he felt well during the international break, which he spent at Trigoria. "I'm feeling great, I did a small training programme. I'm getting older but the body still feels good. Playing gives continuity, and the preparation I did during the break helped me a lot."
On the spirit in the group, he said: "You can see it's a very united group. Even with Castro's goal we all celebrated. It's a very healthy group. Playing so many games, having a very wide squad helps. Even with so many young players on the pitch today, we managed a quality performance."
He praised his midfield partners: "I got on very well, already from Wednesday. Pisilli is a great player, he has great stamina, and he wants to learn like Lulli. I try to help especially with the mister's system, which I have known for many years." Asked whether he was offended at being called the oldest player in the group, he laughed and said: "No. I was on the pitch with a lot of young players tonight and I'm happy to still be at this level."
On the first half, he said: "We played a bit too much in our own half, perhaps also with a bit of tiredness and with many new players on the pitch who had played together for the first time. In the second half we played more the ball forward, behind their defence. When the spaces open, everything becomes easier."
De Roon said he prefers playing three matches a week: "Playing once a week is less fun. If you play every three or four days and have a wide squad, it can be enjoyable. The only annoying thing can be the injuries that have arrived now. But I always want to play." He praised the group's quality and work ethic, naming Donyell, Paulo and Matías as the players with the quality to make the difference, and noted that Lulli and Rensch started today in place of Molina and Wesley and played a great game. "We have a double role almost everywhere. We have signed many players, the squad is wide and strong. Now we must find consistency and avoid picking up too many injuries."
Asked about the move from Bergamo to Rome, he said: "It's different, because here there are 4 million inhabitants, with very passionate support. A full stadium is wonderful, but in the end you do the same things on the pitch, and it changes little whether you are in Bergamo or Rome. I still want to prove I am a great player and help this group. The first three games have gone quite well."
