Patrik Schick admits “it’s not going exactly as I imagined” but “I’ll prove that I’m worthy of Roma”.
The Czech striker was all-set to join Juventus from Sampdoria this summer, but a minor heart issue saw the Bianconeri pull the plug.
Having taken time off to recover he instead joined the Giallorossi, but so far he’s managed just one goal for the capital club, in a Coppa Italia defeat to Torino.
Patrik Schick admits “it’s not going exactly as I imagined” but “I’ll prove that I’m worthy of Roma”.
The Czech striker was all-set to join Juventus from Sampdoria this summer, but a minor heart issue saw the Bianconeri pull the plug.
Having taken time off to recover he instead joined the Giallorossi, but so far he’s managed just one goal for the capital club, in a Coppa Italia defeat to Torino.
“Obviously it's not going exactly as I imagined,” Schick admitted, speaking to reporters from the Czech Republic’s training camp.
“I wasn’t expecting all these injuries, but now I’m doing my best to stay fit and at the moment I’m not worried about anything.
“I’m not looking for excuses, but at the start I had the heart problems and I didn’t do pre-season training, then I threw myself into the season straight away and I got these muscular problems.
“It wasn’t the best start, but I’ll prove I’m worthy of Roma. I know I have to repay the trust that has been shown in me.
“Things are moving in a better direction now, the opposite of what happened last summer.
“Maybe there was a bit of a rush and I should have started more slowly, but I was itching to get started. I wasn’t ready though, and my muscles didn’t hold up.
“I’m not thinking about going anywhere, I still want to prove that I’m worthy of Roma. I didn’t start well, but it can end completely differently.
“We still have a lot of games between now and the end of the season. It wasn’t easy to face certain situations for the first time, it was a new experience for me.
“I’m not going to lie, it hasn’t been easy, but I’ve been training at 100 per cent for some time and I’m sure I’ll get back to scoring.
“I need to get some confidence back, that’s clear, but I don’t want to think I don’t have it in me.
“Roma is a great club, one of the biggest in Italy, and now we’re in the Last Eight in the Champions League.
“I didn’t expect people to live so much for football, the way they do in Rome.
“The Quarter-Final against Barcelona is very interesting, it’s nice to be part of this success and I’ll still have the chance to get on the pitch.
“Everything will depend on how I train and play.”