Ukrainian forward of “Roma” Artem Dovbyk after yesterday’s match in the Italian championship against “Verona” (2:0), in which he scored his first goal of the season, answered a number of questions both in a broadcast and at the post-match press conference.
Artem Dovbyk— What does this goal mean to you?
— It means a lot. For a forward, it is very important to play with confidence, and I am very glad that I scored, even if it was a bit lucky. It is extremely important for any forward to score, but even more important are the three points for the team.
From the first day, I was under a lot of pressure, but I never gave up, trying to take every opportunity. I worked a lot in training, and Gasperini noticed that. I’m glad I took my chance today. I am happy.
Jokingly, I told Celik that he never passes me goals, and today he did. We are on the same wavelength; he has class: he often looks for me, and that is important for me. I always focus on the penalty area and at any moment expect a cross.
— There have been great forwards in “Roma”, and everyone has felt pressure. Isn’t that a positive factor?
— Yes, I know the history of forwards at “Roma”. A few days ago, I spoke with Džeko, and he gave me some advice: it is important to be focused and honest with teammates. For him, that is the key point.
— Do you feel that you are gradually gaining form?
— Yes, I have improved my physical condition, and I have also improved my interaction with my teammates. There were many good moments on the field today.
— What do you see as the difference between you and Evan Ferguson?
— We work on the field in the same way. Evan is a player with good experience, he is young, and we discussed our game a lot during training. We have similar characteristics, but we are different. I hope he can reach his goals too. We must help the team, act together, and strive to be a strong team. Evan and I help each other, and we both will progress.
Many have talked to me lately: I was “sold” to all clubs, but fortunately, the transfer window has closed. Now I am more focused on my work, I know my role here, and I want to enjoy it.
— How many goals will you score under Gasperini?
— I don’t like to talk about numbers. The goal is to be ready for every match. Gasperini is our coach, and we try to learn from him. I have communicated a lot with him, including individually.
With Gasperini, we are now like in university, and the coach is our professor. We all need to listen to him. I can say that everyone in our team is eager to implement on the field what he teaches us. I believe our defense is good, but now we need to improve our attacking actions.
