Paulo Fonseca “always believed” Edin Dzeko would remain at Roma and wants to “start on the right foot” against Genoa.

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“I am very motivated by our first official home game. We are playing in front of our fans and I’d say that is the best scenario to begin a new season,” said the Coach in his Press conference.

Jordan Veretout has described Paulo Fonseca’s role in his move to Roma and Edin Dzeko’s decision to sign a new contract as ‘crucial’.

Veretout found himself in the middle of a protracted tug-of-war between Roma, Milan and Napoli earlier in the summer, but the midfielder ultimately left Fiorentina for the Giallorossi.

“Fonseca told me he’d already seen many of my games, that he liked how I played and wanted me to work under him,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport.

Davide Zappacosta had “no doubts” about choosing Roma and remembers their fans “drowned out” the Chelsea supporters at Stamford Bridge.

It is a very unusual transfer, a six-month loan with option to extend until the end of the season.

Before completing the move, he also signed a new contract with Chelsea that runs to June 2022.

Paulo Fonseca praised Edin Dzeko’s commitment after the striker helped Roma beat Real Madrid on penalties.

Roma continued their unbeaten start under Fonseca on Sunday evening, holding Madrid to a 2-2 draw in normal time and winning 5-4 on penalties to lift the Mabel Green Cup.

“It was a great night, with both sides playing well,” the Coach said after the game.

“We had a good first half and created some great chances. We may have taken less chances that we deserved to, but the result wasn’t important.

Roma Coach Paulo Fonseca expects “courage” against Real Madrid and assures Inter target Edin Dzeko will be in the starting XI.

There had been reports Dzeko asked to be left out of the squad for this friendly at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday evening, as he is pushing for a transfer to Inter.

“Dzeko will certainly start, as I am absolutely counting on him and my main focus in the transfer market is the arrival of a new centre-back,” Fonseca told Sky Sport Italia.

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo and Roma boss Paulo Fonseca are up for awards in their native Portugal.

Ronaldo and Fonseca have been nominated for awards in the Quinas de Ouro, which recognises the best Portuguese players, Coaches and teams of the past year.

Ronaldo is a candidate for Best Men’s Player of 2019, having helped fire Juventus to an eighth successive Scudetto and Portugal to glory at the inaugural Nations League.

Gianluca Mancini says he is proud to play for ‘magical’ Roma, new boss Paulo Fonseca has made a ‘very good’ impression and he is ready to fight ‘sharks’.

Mancini recently joined Roma to replace Kostas Manolas, choosing the capital club despite helping Atalanta achieve qualification for the Champions League.

“When my agent told me about the offer, I immediately said to him without any hesitation that I wanted to come,” the defender told the Giallorossi’s official website.

Bryan Cristante believes Roma are making ‘good progress’ under Paulo Fonseca after his last-gasp goal beat Lille 3-2 on Saturday.

The Giallorossi fell behind to an early Timothy Weah goal and seemed to be heading for a 2-2 draw until Cristante struck in the first minute of injury time to earn Fonseca his second friendly win.

“I’m happy with my goal,” the midfielder told Roma TV.

Paulo Fonseca assures Edin Dzeko is focused on Roma, despite Inter links, but “the priority must be signing a central defender.”

Dzeko was on target in today’s 3-1 friendly win over Perugia, but with Romelu Lukaku seemingly going to Juventus, Inter have to put all their resources into the Bosnian centre-forward.