The former Argentine striker spoke about the current situation at Giallorossi and two of his fellow compatriots: “Soule is a great talent, he has character and personality. He just needs some time.”

Fiorentina and Roma will face off tonight in a match steeped in tradition, especially when it comes to the strikers who have donned both jerseys. Three above all, immensely influential – Roberto Pruzzo, Gabriel Batistuta, and also, Abel Balbo. The guest has recently spoken up during the official podcast for the yellow-red club:

“Did you attend the Roma-Inter match at the stadium? What are your thoughts about the game?” “Yes, I was at the Olympic, whenever I’m in Rome, I go often, my children are really big fans of Roma.” There’s a bit of disappointment because things are not going well. The team is failing to win and pull itself together. Witnessing the stadium always packed but never managing to win significant matches like these is always disheartening.

“We at Roma are somewhat accustomed to the hardship”. “From the moment you make your children fans, you give them instructions: expect this, however, you should know (laughs to note). It can be tough, but Roma is unique; the stadium is always a place where great passion and love are found.” “What is your memory from this perspective, of the beautiful runs made under the South? And the relationship with the fans?” “Beautiful memories and feelings that are difficult to explain, you score and there are 60-70 thousand people cheering for you. They are particular and unique emotions, one of the few things I miss about playing football.” “‘Balbo has struck in the derby,'” perhaps these are the things you miss. “Yes, you can imagine, scoring a goal after two minutes in such an important derby that came after a peculiar week where everyone was telling us we were disastrous and they were strong, doing it instantly and under the curve was something truly unique.” “How is your life now? What are your future plans?” “I have been training for three years, I finished my last experience at the end of April, and I have contacts to return to work in Argentina. I hope one day to also come to Italy or Europe as I am closer to my family. My children are more Roman than the Romans themselves. I hope to return to Italy to be close to them.” “What was your experience like in Argentina? Do you feel closer to European football?”

“I have a mentality for European football but coaching in Argentina is beautiful. I’ve coached a newly-promoted team and then Estudiantes. In all the teams you go to coach, you can find resources to perform well, this is the beauty of Argentina. It’s great to work with them, the stadiums are always full, there is a heavy football culture and I truly enjoy coaching.” “The only thing is the distance from my family.”

Turning our attention to the scorer’s leaderboard in Argentina, we find it brimming with seasoned players. Is there a new Balbo now? “The young ones are sold right away. I’ve trained extremely strong 19-20 year olds and they were sold within six months. The great talents leave immediately, Argentinians nowadays go everywhere.”

Is there a strong young player you would flag in the Argentine championship? “There are many, in every role there are talented players.”

The Argentine player never disappoints you, a perfect example was Leandro Cufre who may not have had great technical skills but his performance was consistently reliable. “The biggest difference between us and the Brazilians is this – our character. We are very strong, so even the players who are not technically excellent move forward and make very important careers with determination, intelligence, and grit.” Regarding center-forwards, do you like Dovbyk? “I do like him, I think he’s an exceptional box striker. He handles the ball very well, he’s good with his head, he’s a forward who requires his team’s assistance. He isn’t the kind of forward who creates his own opportunities. He’s had a decent start, but we’ll see a better performance once the team regains some synchrony and frequency in the opponent’s penalty area.” Turning to the Argentinians, the first name I will mention is Soulé, who is encountering some difficulties, yet he is a player of great talent that you know very well. “He is an immense talent, he is young, and we must wait for him. The young man, however, is full of spirit, never afraid to go one on one. Sometimes excessively so, as he always wants to maneuver past his opponents, yet this shows a notable strength of character. He has talent, he has everything. It’s just a matter of time before he explodes onto the scene. “The player attempting the play has personality and that’s what needs to be focused on, those who feel strong take risks.” It’s not easy to constantly seek one-on-one, especially when things go wrong. “He always tries, even if he doesn’t always succeed, he shows great character”

Dybala is our gem, I saw him on Sunday in great physical condition, he even tried to save a goal in defense. “Paulo is a great champion, I really enjoyed his last game because he played with the team, he made three to four runs with Bastoni in defense, running and sacrificing. Perhaps he does too much, because we need him in other situatons, but he shows devotion to the jersey and understands the situation at hand, grasps the moment of difficulty and wants to help.” “I see him doing well; he ran a lot and well. I do not understand why he was taken out; he is a player I would always keep on the field.”

“You are a former player for many teams, including Fiorentina. I recall a match in which you scored two goals against Rivaldo’s Barcelona. “That year, we had a formidable team. We played brilliantly in the Champions League, yet our advancement was stolen from us in Valencia.” “We wiped out Arsenal in London, played a round with Manchester United and Barcelona, we were a very strong team.”

What was the experience in Florence like? “Beautiful, even if short because I was not there for long, I was at the end of my career but there was a strong team, we had fun and we often won. “I was treated very well, I have a fond memory of my experience there.”

We close with tonight’s game. For Roma, it’s starting to become too important of a match against a Fiorentina that, following initial difficulties, is finding its form in the goal zone. What kind of match do you expect? “I anticipate a challenging game. Playing in that stadium is always tough, even though Roma has often played beautiful games there. Fiorentina is currently in a better state than Roma, coming off victories against Milan, Lazio, and Lecce with six goals. We’re coming in somewhat under the gun, and at this point even a draw isn’t enough. We need to start winning, it won’t be easy but Roma can pull it off. “These are two very similar teams, even in their values. The ‘giallorossi’ are somewhat stronger, but I expect a difficult and balanced match.”

“What’s your opinion on Beltran? He was also on Burdisso’s radar.” “A robust player, he keeps the ball and plays for the team, applies pressure and scores. While he’s experiencing some difficulty this year, he’s certainly a player of value – talented and a top-notch professional. He’s bound to excel greatly.” Who will win this championship? “Inter should win it due to the difference in their squad compared to others. They have two top-level players for each role and ultimately, this is what makes you win. I have never seen anyone win with mediocre players.”