Defender Antonio Rudiger claims that 'with this level of quality, Roma must aim for the Scudetto'.
The German international has been putting in some strong performances since joining the club from Stuttgart, legitimising the enthusiastic reception when he landed at the airport.
“I never expected that,” he said of the tifosi who greeted him, in an interview with Bild. “People here go crazy for football, almost to an extreme level.
Defender Antonio Rudiger claims that 'with this level of quality, Roma must aim for the Scudetto'.
The German international has been putting in some strong performances since joining the club from Stuttgart, legitimising the enthusiastic reception when he landed at the airport.
“I never expected that,” he said of the tifosi who greeted him, in an interview with Bild. “People here go crazy for football, almost to an extreme level.
“When I had my medicals I met an old lady who stopped me and said 'You're a Romanista! Forza Roma!' I'm pretty sure there are no old ladies who know me in Germany.
“If you lose here, or sometimes even when you draw, you feel everyone's disappointment right away.
“The fans expect us to be champions. It's impossible not to feel the pressure.
“With the quality that we have in this team, our objective has to be the Scudetto. There are good odds, but the point distance between the teams is very short.
“We have to compete against Fiorentina, Inter, Napoli and Juventus. In Italy, everyone can beat everyone, and this makes everything very exciting.
“The Champions League is special. I've never been very nervous before a championship game, but when I first played against the defending champions Barcelona I was so tense!
“[Lionel] Messi's quality is immediately evident. He is simply incredible, the best I've ever played against. When he wants to play football, he's very hard to stop.”