In an interview with the media, former Roma and Inter midfielder Nainggolan gave his thoughts on the heavyweight showdown between Roma and Inter, De Rossi's sacking and Lorenzo Pellegrini.
Regarding the duel between Roma and Inter, Nainggolan said: "Inter is currently the strongest team, they play very well, and there are a lot of good players on the bench. So, in terms of strength, Inter is indeed stronger than Roma, especially in Roma's current form. However, soccer matches are often influenced by many factors, and Roma play at home with the best fans in all of Serie A, which may give the team extra motivation."
When asked if Roma have a chance to beat Inter, Nainggolan said, "It's not predetermined. Roma are rebuilding, have a lot of new players and a coach who hasn't achieved much yet, but they have strong fan support at home. Roma will need to fight for possession of the ball, like we did in the old days when we often won against strong teams. While the Roma team may not be as strong now as it was back then, the level of the league has also dropped, and it's much easier to play Serie A now than it was seven years ago."
Speaking about Pellegrini being booed by the fans, Nainggolan said, "I've worn the captain's armband as well and know the pressure involved. But boos and applause are the same for me, I hear them and forget them. Pellegrini should care less about what people say about him and focus on his own performance. He's a smart player and should learn to take the pressure."
On De Rossi's dismissal, Nainggolan expressed his dismay: "Sacking De Rossi is madness. He's young, loves and knows the team, yet he's not being given time to integrate new players. There must be other reasons for this, not just footballing ones. De Rossi kept to himself and he should be proud of that."
Of Roma's American owners, the Friedkin family, Nainggolan is skeptical: "They are businessmen and probably don't know anything about soccer. In the world of soccer, what is needed is expertise and passion. If you only think about business, you may be in trouble."
Speaking about his experience of joining Inter, Nainggolan said, "If I were to come to Inter now, I would handle things in a completely different way. At that time I helped the team reach the Champions League by scoring goals, but then Spalletti left and I lost my motivation." He further explained, "I am referring to my attitude. When I first arrived at Inter I said I was happy, but I was actually sad to leave Roma. This led to me being criticized."
Finally, Nainggolan spoke about former Roma director Sabatini: "He was the most capable director I've ever met. He knew all my embarrassing stories and understood everything about me. He would call me into his office, smoke a cigarette with me, and then chastise me while caring for me. That's Sabatini, a supervisor who really knows and cares about his players."
