Rome, here is the party. Pellegrini: “Let’s start again towards other victories”

A sober, simple, but very exciting presentation. Because when there is a stadium as packed as the Olimpico (65 thousand spectators), a fans completely in love like the Roma one and a team, Shakhtar Donetsk, who for one evening tries not to think about the horrors of a crazy war, it is impossible not to get excited. And that’s what happened to everyone who has been to the Olympic stadium this evening: the last pre-season friendly for Josè Mourinho’s team but, first, presentation of the whole group. Few words, lots of music and images, the phrases that remain are those of the captain, Lorenzo Pellegrini: “Let’s start again towards other victories”. The Romanists believe in it, they really believe in it, especially when Paulo Dybala materializes on the pitch: the most loved, the most awaited, the most applauded.

The Ukrainian anthem

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The evening opens at 19:10: waiting for Roma and everything else to come, Shakhtar enters the field. And it is immediately a standing ovation from the whole stadium and the Ukrainian anthem played by Roma: the players, moved in the center of the field, are with their hands on their hearts, some have shining eyes, someone else just applauds. Roma will give them all the proceeds of the match and, above all, will not leave them alone. With the hope, says the speaker Matteo Vespasiani, to find opponents on a football field.

The feast of Rome

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At 7.49 pm the presentation of Roma begins. The players enter with songs chosen by them, it starts with the third goalkeeper, Boer, and ends, after the technical staff, with Mourinho and Pellegrini together. Kumbulla chooses the Maneskin, Mancini Seven Nation Army (and the “popopopo” choir takes off), Zaniolo – beloved and highly applauded – the song that accompanied the fans since the night in Tirana (Never Going Home), Abraham goes to Sfera ebbasta with Italiano Anthem while Darboe, fresh from a crusader injury, enters on crutches to the applause of all. The least applauded? Shomurodov. He will soon leave Rome but, unlike other occasions, not even a whistle arrives for him: a sign of maturity and elegance of the fans. Following the new signings: Svilar, Celik, Matic, Wijnaldum – endless ovation – and Paulo Dybala, the true king of this Giallorossi night.

The captain and Mourinho

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To close, Mourinho and Pellegrini. Mou does not speak, Lorenzo does. It is no longer time for pyrotechnic games or flag-wavers, but of what every Romanist wants to hear: “Thank you all for being here today, we are starting again with the same enthusiasm as last year towards other victories. A big round of applause and Forza Roma ”. The warm-up starts, we go back to thinking about football. But the emotions remain.