"We'll forget about Shakhtar and start thinking about Crotone". Monchi has clear ideas about Roma's growing journey after their great achievement last Tuesday. He's explained it to Roma Radio, at the eve of tomorrow's Champions League draw: "Which team do I expect we'll get? Difficult to say which one is better. Barcelona has an outstanding player like Messi, Juventus is continuing its way growing in Europe, then there's City who, for me, are the strongest. We'll go fearless tomorrow though. It's obvious everyone would like to get us or Sevilla. At this point there are no easy games though. Sevilla, for example, is used to this level of competition, used to live under the pressure of these games. As a human being, I would have to handle a lot of things going to Sevilla, both personal and affective".
Before that, there will be the Serie A though, with the Crotone game on Sunday: "After the adrenaline of the win in Champions League, we have to show we've grown doing a possible result against Crotone, on a difficult field. Five minutes after the game I've talked with a Spanish radio but my mind was set on Crotone. I want a good attitude on Sunday. It's normal Crotone would assume Roma have their mind set on another thing. We'll have to get in the game immediately".
"Critics? We're on the right way. I'm not afraid of them. I've been lucky enough to win at Sevilla, but I also had difficult times. It's normal that when you're not winning critics arrive. There's no past nor future in football; there only is the present". A present that has the face and hands of Alisson. A fuoriclasse as his sporting director defines him: "When Alisson plays with his eyes closed he's like Monchi (laughs). Alisson is strong, but his most important quality is the serenity and tranquility he gives to all the team. That's his secret".
