Castro discusses ambitions for first season at Roma: “We can win the Scudetto. Being here is a dream come true.”

Castro discusses ambitions for first season at Roma: “We can win the Scudetto. Being here is a dream come true.” Santiago Castro has kicked off Roma’s transfer campaign. The Argentine arrived from Bologna and scored his first goal for the Giallorossi against Newport, a penalty. Directly from his training camp in Wales, the new Roma striker spoke to Corriere Dello Sport . Regarding his recent move, the 2004-born player said: “I’ve only been in Rome for a short time, but I have an incredible relationship with everyone, from the players to the staff. For me, this is a dream come true.” Castro then focused on the moments when he learned of the deal and the ticket he purchased independently to get to Termini: “When I heard about Roma’s interest, I was very excited, but I didn’t want to lose focus on Bologna. I had to wait for the deal to be finalized, then Roma called me and I booked the train ticket. In fact, my wife took care of it. Once we got the green light, we didn’t want to waste time. The journey was difficult, it took five hours for roadworks, but the wait was worth it. We arrived at midnight and I wasn’t expecting that welcome. Now I want to repay the affection I received with goals.” Regarding the nickname Torito, which harks back to Lautaro Martinez, Castro explained his stance: “I’m called Torito, but I’m Castro. Lautaro is an idol and a friend, but I want to beat him. I’ve already booked the match against Inter on my calendar: it’ll be the day after my birthday: it will be a special match.” The 2004-born player has no doubts about the Scudetto: “We can win it. I’ve seen the value of this group, and we can compete with anyone. Because we have strong players in all departments, and Gasperini is one of the best coaches in Italy. We’re at the level to compete for the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia. And we want to do well in the Champions League. If you’re at Roma, you have to aim to win everything.” Castro also spoke about the brawl in the friendly against Newport in Wales: “It’s normal to get into a fight when your best player is touched. I wasn’t alone; we were all there. This locker room is united like a family, and that makes the difference in winning.” The number 9 also spoke about the Argentine bond: “We are very close. Soulé and I have known each other for eleven years, we played together at Velez, and now it’s incredible to be here together again, as men and no longer as children chasing a ball dreaming of Europe. He, Paulo, and I are a great group, and there’s also Hermoso, who has the grit of a Colombian, not a Spaniard…” Then on Molina: “I was with him in the national team and I saw his games at Udinese and Atlético. He’ll help us in the two-way phase. I hope he can arrive because it would be great to have another Argentine in the squad and because he’s really strong.” Castro then spoke about the competition with Malen: “Absolutely not, I don’t feel like his backup. Donny and I will compete for a lot of playing time, but above all for the good of the team. This healthy rivalry will help me grow a lot. Malen is a very strong striker, we’ll rotate, we might even play together. We’re all important; the good is Roma.” The new Giallorossi number 9 explained that other clubs were interested in him: “Yes, a couple of other teams in Italy called me, but I only wanted Roma.” Then Castro focused on his debut at the Olimpico: “My best moment in Bologna was the Coppa Italia win at the Olimpico. Now I can’t wait to make my home debut for the Giallorossi; it will be unforgettable.”