In an emotional interview, Roma defender Ervin Zukanovic spoke of their recent defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League as well as his youthful memories of the Bosnian War.
Recently joining Roma from Sampdoria, the 29-year old Bosnian believes his side has experienced a resurgence under coach Luciano Spalletti, having gone unbeaten in the league since his tenure began in January.
“He is a coach with a lot of emotion, and you have to listen to him and do what he asks,” Zukanovic told Roma Radio.
“We are more organised, and play better under him.
“Following the Real Madrid defeat, we were all disappointed, because we had many chances to score. We played well, but the outcome was unfortunate.
“Those two games were unforgettable evenings for me, it really is incredible to play in the Champions League.
“Now we must focus on the next ten matches in the league, as we all want to return to the Champions League next year.
When asked about his time in Italy, the defender spoke candidly about his feelings towards his home as well as the time he and his family had to flee Bosnia to avoid the civil war which erupted during the early 1990s.
“I miss my home in Sarajevo, but that is life. I was born there, my family are their and I learned to play football there.
“When the war broke out, my family fleed to Germany. I was there for five years before finally returning home.
“I don’t remember a lot about the war, as I only lived through it for a short time. Edin Dzeko remembers much more than I do as he lived through the entire five years.”
Source: forzaitalianfootball.com