Manolas’ regrets: “My Roma would have reached the Champions League final with Var”
ROME FEYENOORD MANOLE – Kosta Manolas returns to his famous header that eliminated Barcelona from the Champions League, but then also a comment on his past in the Giallorossi and an opinion on Tirana. Roma will have another fan more. Below is an excerpt from the interview with La Repubblica:
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The interview
Manolas, what did your goal at Barça mean?
It changed the image of Rome in the world.
There are those who think that without that night Roma now do not have the size to play a European final.
Yes, it was important. Not only because it was the 3-0, that of qualifying for a Champions League semi-final. But because the whole world has understood that Roma are a great team. Before, Roma had another image in Europe, another history.
This time, however, it went further, reaching the end.
But we too would have reached the bottom of that Champions League, if there had been the Var. They didn’t give us a penalty on Dzeko for an offside that wasn’t there. They did not see an Alexander-Arnold handball which would have been penalty and red card. A goal would have been enough to overcome Liverpool.
Could winning it change the history of the club?
Maybe it won’t be the Champions League. But how long has it been since Roma haven’t won a trophy? This says a lot. I will be with Roma with all my heart, the fans deserve it so much.
Why didn’t trophies arrive in your day?
The Roma in which I played this year won the championship with a ten-point advantage. The year we made 87 with Spalletti we believed it. Then we missed Salah for two or three months, we missed a couple of games. We set the record for points, but Juve in those years was close to 100.
You sure don’t have a different pressure to do with it?
The pressure is felt, a lot. The fans love the team strongly, there is a wonderful audience, I spent 5 incredible years there.
Do you still have friends in Rome?
Lots of them. For me Totti is a brother, like De Rossi: from the first day they welcomed me very well, they made me grow up next to them.