Szczesny on the derby, what he's learned from Spalletti, and more

See what Szczesny had to say in the transcript below.

What are the Roma fans like?

“They’re very passionate and make themselves heard. I like them. It’s different to what I was used to in London, of course, where I think there’s a bit more privacy. That said, they’re always very kind and polite if they ask for a photo. I enjoy being with them. The most important thing is that you realise that at Roma you’re not just playing for yourself or for the team – you’re playing to make the fans happy. Knowing that a result will affect how happy people are going to be gives you an extra boost to work hard.”

Lots of fans will be staying away from the stadium on Sunday, as was the case last season.

“To be completely honest, it’s not great for a player. When I was at Arsenal, I saw images of the Rome derby on TV and it seemed amazing, with the stadium packed out and pumping. I would love to experience that and see the fans crowded into the stadium. I hope to see the Olimpico full at some point. In the meantime, we need to focus on the pitch, not the stands.”

Simple question: are Roma better than Lazio?

“Yes.”

No hesitation…

“You asked a simple question so you got a simple answer – of course we are.”

How is it that only one point separates you in the league then?

“Lazio are having a great season and we’ve failed to take a couple of chances. There’s only one point in it, but it should be more. I have no doubt as to who is the better side, but we have to prove that on the pitch. I hope that by Sunday night the gap has opened up to four points.”

Which of Lazio’s players do you fear the most?

“I’m not the kind of guy who fears players. I study them – yes. I’m interested in understanding how our opponents attack as a team. [Ciro] Immobile, Keita [Balde] and Felipe Anderson are doing very well. Immobile has scored a lot of goals.”

You’ve won both of your Rome derbies so far.

“Well, long may that continue. I’m expecting a win. It was fantastic last year – I really enjoyed both games. It was a special feeling. That said, the most important thing is getting the three points and that’s what I’m concentrated on. I know that the fans are especially keen to win this one, but I’ve played in North London derbies and they’re all like that. The expectation and adrenaline involved in these games is massive.”

Can you still win the Scudetto?

“Absolutely. I stayed at Roma because I want to win. There are still lots of games left to play so anything’s possible, but right now we need to focus on the derby. If we get the win, we’ll be one step closer to our end goal. We need to take it one game at a time, focusing on picking up three points in every game. I don’t want to think too far down the line – there are still six months to go until the end of the season. We all share the same objective, but Sunday is the only thing that matters just now.”

Will you go back to Arsenal at the end of the season?

“I don’t think that far ahead. If I starting thinking about July 2017, I won’t be able to focus on what I need to be doing right now. I prefer to live in the present.”

Roma are still letting in quite a few goals at the moment – is that the main difference between you and Juventus?

“We play attacking football – I think our main focus is on attack. That said, if I’m not mistaken, I think only two sides have conceded fewer goals than us this season. If I have to concede two goals for us to win 3-2 like we did against Pescara on Sunday, that’s fine by me. The problem comes when conceding costs you points, just as it did against Cagliari and Fiorentina. Italian football is very high scoring at the moment and I think that’s awesome for the fans – as a keeper obviously I prefer to concede as few as possible, but as long as we’re winning I won’t complain!”

After the defeat at Torino, you said that you can’t just win your home games if you want to aim high.

“We’ve improved since then and I think we’re getting better on the road too. We know we still need to raise our game, but when we lost to Atalanta they were in incredible form. Things couldn’t be any better at home – we have a 100% points record so I don’t think anyone relishes a trip to the Olimpico. But we need to make another step up and turn the draws into victories.”

Luciano Spalletti was desperate for you to come back to Roma last summer. What differences are there between him and Arsene Wenger?

“They’re different coaches working in different leagues and using different tactics. Both of them really value discipline. It’s vital for them, which is something lots of coaches get wrong.”

What do you mean?

“They want to teach you about football and improve their players, as well as focusing on team results. I enjoy working with them both – they’ve taught me a lot.”

What has Spalletti taught you?

“To play with my feet. In England they all used to say I was rubbish with my feet and just a shot stopper without the talent of a [Marc-Andre] Ter Stegen, [Manuel] Neuer or [Edwin] Van der Sar, but here I’m seen as good with my feet. The explanation is simple: Spalletti has taught me that it’s not about how technically gifted you are, but being able to select the right play. I learned a huge amount at Arsenal too, of course, having joined them when I was so young.”

How are you finding the rivalry with Alisson?

“Rivalry is the wrong word. There’s no rivalry between us because we both want what’s best for Roma. Alisson is a great keeper – he’s doing his bit. I think the decision to alternate the keepers for the league and cup competitions is paying off. There’s no problem between us.”

Why did you decide to come back to Roma?

“Because I love the city – look at the sky! The weather is always amazing. I get on well with everyone in Trigoria, all the staff and my team-mates. When the clubs reached an agreement for another year’s loan, it was an easy decision to make for me.”

What is your relationship with the media? Sometimes you hit out on social media at particular stories.

“It’s because people write things that aren’t true. In general, I think I have a good relationship with the media. To be brutally honest, I’m not all that interested in your opinions – I know myself if I’ve played well or not. I don’t need to read a paper to find out.”

What about your father – do you value your father’s opinion? He too played for the Polish national side.

“He set a record in Poland by winning the title with four different clubs, but I can’t say which of us is the better keeper! We’ll see at the end of my career I guess. I’m not brave enough to get started on that just yet!”

Did you decide to play football because of your father?

“Obviously he influenced me – I loved watched him play. It was my mother that really believed in me, though – she was the one that encouraged me to keep going and took me to training. We lived alone, so I was always going to have that bond with her.”