Pedro: The players behind Tati are important, Tavares is very strong

Lazio striker Pedro spoke to the official Channel Blue today between training sessions about the start of the season, his personal and team goals, his relationship with his teammates and his expectations for the Europa League:

"Europa League? This new format will be great, four home and four away games is very different to the past and we will see how we can do it. All the good teams in the groups are great and we are hungry, it's a good opportunity and we have renewed the squad and we have a lot of new players and it will be a great stimulus. A lot of youngsters have played in the European competitions against these strong teams and their joining will be very important for us.

How important is the mental aspect? I think it is crucial in football and in all sports. I think football is a little different because there is always pressure, maybe from the stadium, the fans, the journalists and the criticism. You have to be strong, you have to always train hard and listen to the advice of more experienced players who can help you in these situations. The only thing you can do is to always train hard and stay focused and if you train like that then it's easier for you to get good things in the game. If you feel like you have a bad start or missed the pass at the beginning and you don't feel good in the game Well, all these things can cause you problems, as happened in these three games. We started out well, then conceded a goal and created dangerous situations. In all three games we had good performances and that gave us a good side, but we have to stay focused because we can't make mistakes in the first few minutes. Football doesn't allow you to make mistakes, we have to stay focused at all times because every challenge is difficult. When you lose the ball in the first few minutes of a game, you go into the next game with fear. You have to forget everything, be strong and try not to concede anything to the opponent.

Passing? That's the idea of ​​the coach, to pass the ball quickly, to cross, and to reach the box with many people. In the box there was Tati, who had a great header, and we need to take advantage of those chances more. It's an area that needs to be improved, but it's definitely a good thing for us because it means we've created a lot. We still have to solve some problems, but we're working well.

Attacking midfielder? Dele-Bashirou can play that role, as can Castrovilli, we have players who can do that. The coach thinks that we have a player behind Tati who is more threatening, who arrives in front of the box and tries to play between the lines, as Dia did with Tati the other day. The coach is trying to find this player between the lines and we can do that because we have a lot to gain from it. Let's see how the league is over time." Tavares? Very strong, crucial for us, very strong and can help a lot on the left wing. Guendouzi is important for the French speakers, he can explain to them how the coach works, how it should work with the fans and the club. But it's not just him, many of us are veterans, veterans like me, Zacani, Patrick who can help the newcomers... Motivation to play? Sometimes it comes at a price, because you play for many years, however, there is always something inside you that makes you keep playing, otherwise you would stop. The desire to win, to win a trophy, the Europa League, is what drives me forward and to train as hard as I can. Age is not the only thing that matters. It's difficult at such an age, but you have to have that mentality to play football. We try to win.

Free time? I do everything: I read, I play games, sometimes I spend time with my friends. We do everything to avoid always focusing on the pitch. It's essential to have a balanced life, otherwise this sport is difficult to play. I feel strongly about the fans and my current role has taken its toll on me because I'm playing less, but I'm happy to play for the club, my teammates and the fans. The club has the values ​​I like, the philosophy that everyone is close and like a family, and does a great job. I'm here to do my job to the fullest and I give everything when I'm on the pitch. ”