Pjanic reveals: “I cried when I left Roma.” | OneFootball

Former Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic revealed he had a hard time leaving the Giallorossi in the summer of 2016.

In an interview with Il Tempo a few days prior to Roma-Juventus, Pjanic reflected on his years in the capital.

“At the moment Roma has more stability, without a doubt. Juve changed coach because the results were below expectations,” said Pjanic of the upcoming showdown between the two clubs.

“In recent years, when I was there but also before, we were always fighting to win the Scudetto while this year despite the many expenses on the market that had made the club think they could compete, something went wrong. Some choices went against Juve’s DNA but now a person who knows the Juventus world well and knows how the club works and how to manage certain dynamics has returned.”

“I thought Roma were too far behind until Ranieri arrived. The big mistake was to send De Rossi away, it was too early and the team suffered a shock because of it.”

“Ranieri? He is a Romanista, he knows the club very well. He has great experience and is much loved by the fans. He had the merit of starting a positive streak by bringing the team back to fighting for the Champions League just as I thought he could do at the beginning.”

“The only one who really knows who the next coach will be is Ranieri, together with the owners of course. There are many good ones but few can really stay in a place like Rome. Mourinho, for example, did very well but he had experience and great character. He was able to manage the environment very well and was loved by the people.”

“You fall in love with Rome easily but you need experience and the ability to manage difficult moments, I don’t think betting can work. Allegri and Sarri are two right profiles but I think a global reflection should be made also based on the characteristics of the players.”

“De Rossi? I often speak to Daniele, there has always been a relationship of trust and respect both on the pitch and when he stopped. We remained friends and we spoke even when he was coach of Roma. I was very surprised when he was fired after only four games.”

“The best Roma-Juve? The one where I scored against Buffon from a free kick. We won 2-1 with a goal from me and Dzeko. It was at the start of the season and it was an important moment for us. When I scored the stadium exploded, an unforgettable moment.”

“I spent about ten years in Italy and it was the longest journey of my career but above all the most important choice, the best I could have made. In Rome, they were five wonderful years. I cried when I left because I had fallen in love with the place but unfortunately I couldn’t win something like I dreamed. Doing it in Rome would have been extraordinary and it was a shame to meet a Juve that was too strong.”