Daniele De Rossi doubts the cold conditions will affect Roma’s Champions League clash with Shakhtar Donetsk. “Our group phase was semi-perfect.”
The first leg in the Champions League Round of 16 kicks off on Wednesday at 19.45 GMT.
“I am in good shape and on Saturday frankly held out better than I expected,” said the 34-year-old midfielder of his comeback from injury.
Daniele De Rossi doubts the cold conditions will affect Roma’s Champions League clash with Shakhtar Donetsk. “Our group phase was semi-perfect.”
The first leg in the Champions League Round of 16 kicks off on Wednesday at 19.45 GMT.
“I am in good shape and on Saturday frankly held out better than I expected,” said the 34-year-old midfielder of his comeback from injury.
“I am aware of how important the game is, but have only the right level of pressure and responsibility. It’s a two-legged tie, my teammates are working well and have overcome a difficult moment. We’ve shown how united we are within the team and with the staff, so as captain I don’t need to give any advice.”
Shakhtar Donetsk have played only one competitive match since the two-month Winter break.
“I don’t think we’re in better condition. We know full well they were off for a while, but we’re sure they spent the last six to eight weeks focused only on this match, so that be an advantage too. Ultimately, I don’t think it’ll make much difference.
“The climactic conditions do count to a degree, as it’s new to us, but only to a certain extent. We’ll play 11 against 11, the pitch is the same size as the one we use at home.
“We just have to be wary for the first 5-10 minutes while we adapt, but if snow made that much of a difference, Russian and Ukrainian sides would win the Champions League every year.”
Roma had been considered massive underdogs in the group phase and don’t have a strong history in Europe, but are playing their best football right now on the continent.
“We took a big step forward in the group stage, eliminating Atletico Madrid and beating Chelsea. Getting through to the quarter-finals, the top eight teams in Europe, would give a different view of this season and feel different to being eliminated now.
“We were semi-perfect in the Champions League this term. However, we want to go forward not to save the season, but because we want to do well. I don’t see why we should consider this season a flop.”
De Rossi was in the Roma side eliminated by Shakhtar Donetsk in the 2010-11 Round of 16.
“That elimination was painful, but it was a long time ago now. I’ve lost many games, I don’t relive every one as an opportunity for personal revenge. There’s nothing tied to the past.”