Topics: Nemanja Matic, AS Roma, Jose Mourinho, Serie A, Manchester United, Chelsea
Nemanja Matic has only been living in Rome for just over a month, but the Serbian midfielder is already giving interviews in fluent Italian.
The 34-year-old, who penned a one-year deal with Serie A side AS Roma at the end of June, has once again reunited with manager Jose Mourinho following an eight-year spell in England.
This will be the third time Matic has worked alongside Mourinho, after the two enjoyed spells at both Chelsea and Manchester United respectively.
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It hasn't taken long for Matic to settle into the Italian way of life and on Sunday evening, at the Stadio Olimpico, over 65,000 fans welcomed their team back ahead of the start of the 2022/23 campaign.
Each member of Mourinho's first-team squad was introduced to the crowd, and all of them picked out their own music to accompany their walk-out.
Matic picked In Corpore Sano by Konstrakta – a song that was the Serbian entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.
After the ceremony, Matic decided to give an interview to Roma's official social media channel in Italian.
He's only been in Italy for just over a month; so even the reporter was taken back by how quick he has picked up the language. "You've picked up Italian very quickly!" he said, before the Serbian raised a smile.
Last month, Matic revealed that it took just five minutes for Jose Mourinho to convince him to join the ranks at AS Roma.
“After [Frank] Lampard, I am the midfielder who has played the most matches under him," he told Italian outlet Il Messaggero.
“He convinced me in less than five minutes to join Roma: when I left United, he called me and I immediately said yes.
“Mou has something extra which motivates you and drives you on. I’ve never seen him satisfied, when he wins he is already thinking about the next day. He is the first to be hungry for success.”
Matic also praised the recent addition of Paulo Dybala, who joined on a free transfer this summer following his departure from Juventus at the end of last season.
“He will bring the extra quality necessary to make the big leap forward. I have faced him as an opponent and know how difficult he can be," he added.
“He reminds me of [Juan] Mata when he was at his best, the Mata who won the World Cup and Euros with Spain.”
