Sergio Oliveira: I want to help bring a winning mentality

The Portugal international midfielder arrives in the Italian capital with a track record of success in his homeland - something he hopes to bring with him and impart upon Jose Mourinho's squad.

Here's what the 29-year-old had to say about the new adventure in front of him...

What are you feelings now, as you sit here a Roma player?

“It’s amazing to be here, to join this amazing club. I’ve had a fantastic welcome and I want to thank everyone for that. It’s an amazing feeling and I hope I can contribute to the cause.”

You really wanted to join Roma and Roma really wanted to have you. What did Tiago Pinto tell you about the plan here?

“He told me that, given that as a player I have won a lot in my career, that I need to bring that winning mentality here and help pass it on to those around me.

"I am coming here from a club, Porto, where losing is not allowed and is always a problem to be dealt with. The target is to help improve the mentality and the ambition here. The coach and Tiago Pinto want me to help bring that to the group, along with the abilities I have as a player.”

How big a factor was the possibility to work for Jose Mourinho?

“I have already had a chance to speak with the boss – naturally any player would love to be coached by him. So that clearly had an influence on my choice.”

You are joining Roma in January, with the halfway point in the season already behind us, but there are still a lot of games to be played. Your arrival will be important in helping the team achieve everything they want to this season?

“I’m coming here to help this team, alongside all the other great players that make up the squad here. In the end the target is to win and to contribute to winning, to reach the targets we have as a group. We want to be able to celebrate those successes and be proud of what we have achieved.”

How would you describe yourself as a midfielder?

“I would say that I play with an intensity – I like to play box-to-box, I like to get shots on goal and I feel like I have a good touch in the final third. I also like to take free-kicks. I am a midfielder that really wants to feel like he is helping out the rest of the team.”

You have played across Europe, but this will be your first experience in Italian football. What are you expecting?

“First and foremost I want to say that I have always wanted to play in Serie A, ever since I was a child, so this is the realisation of a dream for me. I am expecting it to be a very difficult league, very competitive, going up against great sides that are very tactical and very strong physically too.

"There are going to be a lot of individual battles and it’s going to demand a lot of concentration. I am sure it is going to be a tough test, but also a really exciting and stimulating one for me.”

You have a wealth of experience, something that will help the team when the Europa Conference League returns too…

“We have to take things step-by-step. First and foremost we need to think about the game on Sunday, because the next match is always the most important one. As far as the games go, I am here to help out and to share the experience that I have. Obviously I am going to learn from my teammates as well. So we will take things one game at a time, one target at a time, in the right manner.”

What are your personal targets here?

“It will always be to help the team and the squad: that has to be the case for any player. By hitting that target for the team then we can all also achieve the individual targets we have.”

It’s a difficult period right now, with a lot of restrictions surrounding attendance at the stadium because of the ongoing pandemic. But we hope you will soon be able to play in front of a full Olimpico, as happened earlier in the season…

“Yes, I’ve already seen a few different videos and you can’t help but see what an amazing atmosphere it is. I cannot wait to experience it for myself.”

And finally, do you have a message for Roma supporters?

“Just to keep going as they always have been, supporting the team in both the good times and the bad – indeed especially when things are going badly. Keep believing that things will soon get better.”