Mancini swears eternal love: “Roma for life, even though Inter wanted me.” | OneFootball

“Roma for life, even if there have been some approaches.” Gianluca Mancini therefore clarifies.

On the eve of another season in Giallorossi, the Roma center-back, now a leading figure in the locker room, spoke broadly to Gazzetta dello Sport: “Roma has entered my heart and blood. I love tattoos; in December I promised myself I’d get one if we reached the Champions League. SPQR is a beautiful inscription and encapsulates the bond I have with the city and the club.”

The thorniest issue of recent days has involved statements by his agent, Beppe Riso, which haven’t been well received (to put it mildly) in the capital: “My agent said he tried to kick me out of Rome? He said what he thought. But in the end, the player decides, and he worked for my interests. I’m not crazy, but you can’t control your heart. When I signed, we hugged. And he was happy to see me happy.”

Then a comment on Inter: “One club that approached me is well known, the others are just talk that’s now blown away by the wind. There were various approaches, but I didn’t give them too much weight. Of course, I only had one year left on my contract, and there were two options: either renew or part ways. But I knew the club and the manager still wanted to focus on me.”

Mancini, on August 24th against Fiorentina, will begin his eighth season with the Giallorossi, a season punctuated by exhilarating moments like the victory in Tirana and the goals in the derbies, but also by some very negative moments like the Budapest derby. These are situations that inextricably link you to a footballing environment. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the Giallorossi center-back today declares: “Roma for life? I’m so happy; I wanted the renewal with all my heart. Rome is home to me. You never know in football, but I hope it can be like this: Roma for life.”

Speaking of the derby, the brace from a few weeks ago is clearly something to remember. The newspaper asked him if he thought he was the Lazio fans’ nightmare: “Nightmare is a big word. The last derbies went well, but I never imagined a brace. I’ll tell you one thing, though: I realized what happened on vacation. Before, I felt like I’d only done my duty; it was like scoring two goals against Milan, Juve, or Inter. Then I understood.”

Finally, a word on the Scudetto. Could Roma pose a problem for Inter? Mancini’s response was cautious: “We need a path forward. You can’t get to the Scudetto challenge overnight. We have to be honest. The important thing is to keep going strong and steady, and if things go badly, never give up.” However, regarding a return to the Champions League, ‘Mancio’—as everyone in Trigoria and beyond now calls him—has no doubts: “It’s the crowning achievement of my career, and it’s always been a dream of mine. I won it years ago in Bergamo, then I came to Rome. Finally hearing the music makes me proud. I can’t wait.”