Scardina on scoring on his Roma debut, bad career decisions and more

What do Falcao, Graziani, Okaka, Perrotta, Cerci and Scardina have in common?

They are the six players to have found the back of the net for Roma in European clashes with CSKA Sofia, of which the Giallorossi have won four out of four.

The most recent of those goals was scored by Filippo Maria Scardina. Born in 1992, he currently ranks as the 25th youngest debutant in Roma history.

His debut, which turned out to be his only appearance for the club, came at the age of just 17 years and 293 days, when he replaced Stefano Okaka and scored almost immediately to give Roma their third goal in a 3-0 Europa League win away at CSKA Sofia.

The year was 2009 and could well have been the start of a career destined for success, but things did not go as he would have hoped: Scardina is still a professional footballer, but he plies his trade for Pergolettese, the Serie C side based in Crema.

Let's start with current events. What is it like to live and play in Lombardy, the Italian region most affected by Covid-19?

“I have to say that in this team – at Pergolettese – I feel very much at ease. After several seasons in the south, this year I decided to come to the north where I found an organised club that makes me feel part of a family.

"At this moment in time, it is difficult to concentrate solely on the game. We have to undergo tests very regularly – this week we will do three – and there is constant apprehension of testing positive. It’s a fear I experienced first-hand last week, more than my team-mates.”

Why was that?

“Because after the game we played in Como, I started suffering clear flu symptoms. I had a temperature and sore throat – I didn’t feel good at all, until I had the test, which came back negative. I was afraid I’d caught the virus, given that we had two players in the team who had tested positive and we’re in quarantine at the hotel.”

What is a typical day like?

“We train and then we go back to the hotel. That’s how the team is living at the moment – waiting for the next swab test and matches. Then it’s not guaranteed that our football commitments will go ahead. A match can be postponed if there are cases at another club.”

Do you feel better now?

"Yes – I recovered after a couple of days without many issues. I’m already back training with the rest of the group. We are preparing professionally for the next match, even if it is not always easy to concentrate exclusively on football.”

But at least you are getting tests.

“Absolutely – that’s something we’re lucky to have. If we catch the virus, we know immediately. That’s something a normal worker can't have – at least, not straight away.”

Now let’s go back to some memories. What do you remember about that evening in Bulgaria, with that black Roma shirt on?

“It was an incredible feeling, which I still try to think about nowadays. At the time I perhaps didn't take it all in. It’s something I’ll never forget – my mother called me at school to let me know I’d be called up to the first team and that I would have to get ready.

"To tell you the truth, though, I'm not really a mad football fan. I didn’t know what game Roma had coming up. So I called my agent to find out and he told me that we were going to Sofia for the Europa League.”

Were you expecting to make your debut?

“I was hoping to. I was 17 – at one point in the second half the coach told me to warm up. I couldn't wait to get onto the pitch. When [Claudio] Ranieri turned towards me, he said: 'Go, you have 9 minutes to score.' I touched the ball three times, and once I managed to score. I had a bit of luck too.”

And what happened after that game?

“What happened was that I went on the training camp in the summer with Roma, but when it came to working out where I’d go and play, I made a poor decision – I can safely say that with hindsight, 10 years later.”

By going to Como, you mean?

“Yes, exactly. At the age of 18, with no experience, going to a club in Serie C with mature and established players, and which is perhaps going through business problems, it’s tough to really make a difference. At Como I played very little, and when I did it was badly.”

Do you think that choice has affected your career?

“Without a doubt. I should have gone on to develop – working my way up in a different way, perhaps at a Serie A or B team where I could have learned, calmly. But that choice hit me hard. I went from riches to rags in an instant. It was only years later that I began to understand that level of football. I've matured but I went through delicate moments, sometimes I could barely control a ball.”

Anyway, you’ve made it as a professional and are still at it.

“It's true, now I've reached a good level of maturity – I’m a Serie C professional. I’ve never stood still. I’m someone who works hard because for me it's a real job. I'm not complaining.”

You said earlier that you’re not a “mad football fan”. Is that possible for someone who makes a living in this sport?

“I’m not a fan who’s there watching what Roma or Milan get up to. If there happens to be a match on TV, I’ll watch it, but I don’t follow the league or Champions League calendar. Many of my colleagues know everything about everyone. I'm not that sort of person. I play football. I'm a professional and live like an athlete – it’s my job. But I also try to think about other things. I can tell you more…”

Go ahead.

“I don’t support a team. As a little boy I was a Lazio fan, but it was a lukewarm passion. When I started playing for Roma, I stopped supporting anyone. How could I think of Lazio if I was training at Trigoria with Totti and De Rossi? That's why I put that aside and thought only about being a footballer. It's been like that for many years now. If someone asks me what team I support, I say nobody.”

You didn’t see Milan v Roma, for example?

“I did see it, but I didn’t celebrate the Roma goals. I comment on, and analyse, what happens. In particular, I study the movements of strikers like me.”

Edin Dzeko could be a vast and fascinating subject of study.

“Dzeko is a formidable striker, among the best around in Italy, if not the best. He has everything: speed, technique, and can use both feet. As a child I absolutely loved [Christian] Vieri. I saw myself in him a little bit, with different characteristics.”

You mentioned your mother – Fiorenza Marchegiani – earlier. She’s a successful actress. Has she ever tried to encourage you to take up a different profession? Perhaps in the film industry?

“Maybe she would have liked that – she would have helped me too. She’s retired now. But I've always wanted to play football and live off football.”

Will you stay in football once your playing career is over?

“We’ll have to see. I would certainly never be a coach – I know the dressing room dynamics and what players say about coaches all too well. I hope to play for another seven years to earn some money. As I’ve already said, it's my job.”

What is the average salary of a player of your level in Serie C?

"Between €30,000 and €50,000. Those are big numbers for regular citizens, but it’s far lower than in Serie A. I’m not complaining, though – I make a living from football and I'm lucky.”