Mancini hails Mourinho as an icon, lauds exceptional Dybala and Lukaku at Roma

Roma’s defender, Gianluca Mancini, made a range of revelatory statements in a social media interview with Sportmediaset conducted via Instagram.

Speaking about the club’s manager, José Mourinho, Mancini hailed him as a football icon, inspiring the players to perform in training and during matches. He further expressed the honour of being a captain of Roma. Though, he gracefully noted that Lorenzo Pellegrini was the ‘super captain’.

When asked about past coaches who had greatly influenced his career, he opted to highlight Gasperini, crediting him for his comprehensive growth in Serie A. However, Mancini mentioned that he learns aspects such as tactics and mental strength from his current coach, Mourinho, every day.

Talking about his football companions, Mancini spoke fondly of his longtime friend, Leonardo Spinazzola. Despite their occasional disagreements, Spinazzola’s support, particularly during Mancini’s early days at Perugia, was instrumental in helping him not give up.

On European Championship group stage, Mancini acknowledged that it’s a tough challenge, with Spain being arguably the hardest opponent. However, he conveyed the Italian spirit of facing all rivals with pride and without fear.

Discussing his encounters with Dybala and Lukaku in training, Mancini described both players as fantastic individuals on and off the field. The experience of defending against such strong players, Mancini believes, has helped significantly in his learning and improvement as a player.