Fonseca: “We are in a good moment, we go without fear”

The Portuguese coach of Rome, Paulo Fonseca, said Tuesday in an interview with the EFE Agency that the Italian squad “is in a good moment” and that they will play against Sevilla “without fear, but with respect”.

This Thursday is played the first leg of the Europa League round of 16 between Seville and Rome, Y Paulo Fonseca, in his first interview with an international media since he arrived in Rome, He explains that they will go out to play true to their style of ball possession and with a very offensive midfield.

“I admire Lopetegui very much, he was my successor in Porto and whoever sees us on Thursday will find two very offensive teams that will try to dominate the game, “he said.

The staff of Rome highlights the good adaptation of the two young Spaniards arrived in January, Carles Pérez and Gonzalo Villar, the 23-year-old Italian international Mancini, the good form of goalkeeper Pau López or the experience of Smailling and Serbian captain Kolarov.

In Fonseca's opinion, UEFA must get involved so that decisions are taken together for all European leagues in relation to the coronavirus.

Question: What will the team be like in Seville next Thursday?

Reply: (smiles) I can't reveal the secrets. There will be two teams with very offensive game ideas. I know Lopetegui very well, it happened to me in Porto and he is a person and a coach that I admire a lot. They are two teams that want to dominate the ball, play and create offensive situations. Sevilla has good results and Rome is in a good moment and motivated. We are not afraid, we go without fear, although we have a lot of respect for Sevilla, which is a very strong team.

Q: In Rome, the game starts from the Spanish Pau López.

R: He's a great goalkeeper. For those who like to play like me (going out with the ball under control), he is one of the best goalkeepers in the world with his feet, there is almost none who does it like him. He is a very calm goalkeeper, with a lot of confidence and that gives the team a lot of stability. He is one of the best goalkeepers in Europe and is in a good moment.

Q: Carles Pérez – granted by Barça – and Gonzalo Villar – from Elche – the two incorporations of January.

R: Gonzalo Villar (Mucia, 1998) is a young man we discovered in Elche. He is a strong, courageous soccer player, international with Spain (U21) and will be a big surprise in a few years. And Carles Pérez is adapting well, because Italian football is much more tactical. He is a young man of great quality that we trust a lot and, if he continues like this, working like this, he will be a great player.

Q: How does it take to train Patrick Kluivert's son?

R: It's very easy (smile). It's like any other player. For me, Justin Kluivert is a normal, team player, a young man with great talent.

Q: Fifth in the League, 3 points from the fourth, the Atalanta, which is the first place to qualify for the Champions League. What does it mean?

R: Is not easy. Atalanta is a very strong team right now. But, honestly, I trust it is possible, there is still a lot of championship. Here, in Italy, the last one can win the first and if we are well until the end of the championship we can achieve it.

Q: Have you met in Italy with Cristiano Ronaldo?

R: I already played against him, talked to him. I cannot say much more about him than what has already been said. He is a great player, a great professional. If you wanted, contrary to what some think, he is a very nice, friendly and open person. An excellent professional, although I never worked with him. And here in Italy it is not easy to score goals.

Q: Tell me your dreams as a coach, your preferences and a favorite for the Champions League.

R: I always dreamed of training in Italy, Spain or England, which are, for me, the three best leagues in the world. The team that I like, because I'm a big follower of Guardiola, is Manchester City.

Q: But he also admires Jorge Jesús, who trained him when he played at the Estrela Amadora luso, where he retired, right?

R: In those years (2001-2002) Jorge Jesús was already a very different coach, with great tactical rigor. I still have a good relationship with him.

Q: The big leap in his career was when he trained Paços de Ferreira in 2011-2012, with whom he was third in the League and managed to play in Europe to sign a year later for Porto?

R. The Paços de Ferreira is a great club, very welcoming, like a big family and is a team that gives opportunity to young coaches. And in Porto (2012-2013) I trained players like Jackson Martínes or Danilo. I also trained, coincidentally, the Brazilian Fernando, a player who is now in Seville and who in Porto was always a starter with me, although he is now injured, the coach lamented.

Q: The coronavirus is already a serious problem for Italian football, will it be for all European football?

R: There is one thing that is more important than football, which is people's health. I think that these days very important decisions will be taken and should not be taken only by the respective leagues, they should be taken in conjunction with UEFA. We cannot have the Italian League stop and then play a Valencia Atalanta, for example. UEFA's involvement will be very important for all championships.