Matías Soulé, the Argentinian forward at the centre of Sunday’s Roma-Juventus clash, opened up about his emotional ties to both clubs in an interview with La Stampa. “This match is special for me—I spent five years at Juve,” he admitted. “The Next Gen team helped me grow. Playing in Serie C improved me physically and technically.”
A Summer of Transition
Soulé’s move to Roma last summer for €25.6 million came after a standout loan spell at Frosinone. “When I was at Frosinone, I still thought I’d return to Juventus,” he revealed. “But in January, they told me they had to sell me for financial reasons, maybe to an Arab club. That deal fell through, but by preseason, I knew I’d leave.” He addressed Thiago Motta’s role: “He joked with me to stay, but he understood the situation. His struggles at Juve? No one expected it, not even after his success at Bologna. That’s football.”
Dybala: A Childhood Dream
Playing alongside Paulo Dybala has been a highlight for Soulé. “He was my idol, along with Aguero and Tevez. Now we have a strong friendship—we spend so much time together.”
Tactical Freedom Under De Rossi
Soulé praised Roma’s coach for revitalizing the squad: “De Rossi reminds me a bit of Di Francesco, but he also shares traits with Allegri and Ranieri. They all know how to bring out the grit needed to win.” He added, “Ranieri gave me freedom in the final third to take on defenders and attack the goal. He changed the atmosphere here—bringing calm and trust.” Positionally, Soulé prefers starting on the right wing: “I see myself as a free attacker.”
Champions League Ambitions
With Roma battling for a top-four finish, Soulé’s focus is clear: “My goal is to score as many goals as possible to help the team, but qualifying for the Champions League matters most. We have eight finals left.” When asked if Roma overtaking Juventus would feel like revenge, he dismissed the idea: “No, I have no grudges. My mind is only on Roma now. If I score Sunday? I haven’t thought about celebrating—I usually don’t. But I’ll swap jerseys with Nico Gonzalez.”
