Nicolo Zaniolo has now released a statement about his current situation at Roma, stating that several things that have been written about him are not true.
Zaniolo is currently at his home in La Spezia – away from Rome and Roma themselves, after he was given death threats by fans and gangs. He could not get a move away from the club despite refusing to play for them and seeking a transfer, with Roma considering disciplinary action against him.
The Italian, who rejected Bournemouth initially and later accepted the destination when the club backed away, has given a statement to ANSA about his situation and the happenings of the last couple of weeks. He has also thanked Roma fans for how they have treated him in the past with warmth and respect.
“Many things have been said and written about me in recent weeks and many are not true. I arrived in Rome as a stranger and Rome and Romanistis welcomed me as one of their own. They gave me confidence, courage and affection in the terrible and dark moments of the injuries. In Tirana, with that goal, I felt that I had paid back everything I had received, helping to give unforgettable joy to all Roma fans.”
“At the age of 23 I have lived experiences that many of my colleagues do not experience in an entire career: falling, getting up, falling again, getting up again, winning. In recent months I have gone through a delicate period, in which it was difficult to understand what my professional future would be. However, I have always worked hard on the pitch and in training with the utmost professionalism”.
He spoke about the threats that he has received from fans, gangs and Curva Sud in recent days, saying: “For the first time in recent days I was afraid, for myself and for my family, and I felt abandoned. I got very scared.The future is in our hands: I hold mine out and place myself at the complete disposal of the Roma family.”
Roma have previously clarified that they have excluded him from his technical project and plans for the remainder of the season, but it remains to be seen how things change now