Lazio midfielder Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro discussed his first Derby della Capitale against Roma, his work with coach Simone Inzaghi and the differences between Serie A and Ligue 1 in an interview with international media outlet beIN Sports (via La Lazio Siamo Noi) earlier today.
It was a fantastic weekend! I had no difficulty passing the ball to Luis Alberto, we work on that in training.
It was important to win because it was the third consecutive victory, it will also help us for the rest of the season. It was a pity not to have the fans with us.
The 28-year-old Ivorian midfielder then touched on his career path so far.
I played in Serie B, I moved to Lazio, I’m playing in the Champions League, I also had the chance to be on the pitch for the derby.
It’s a pity not to have the fans in the stadiums, but personally it’s a wonderful moment.
I have the trust of the president and the coach, it’s a fundamental thing. I must try to repay their trust and do my best when I take to the pitch.
He spoke about how coach Simone Inzaghi prepares for the matches.
First of all, we watch a lot of videos, we work first on defense and then on attack.
He’s a great coach, he talks to the players every day. I think he’s the best I’ve had in my career.
Akpa Akpro moved onto discussing some of his teammates, like Italian star Ciro Immobile.
He puts in every chance he gets, even the ones that seem most complicated. The players who have impressed me the most are those on my team. I’m thinking of Milinkovic-Savic and Luis Alberto.
He spoke about the differences between Serie A and the French Ligue 1.
Both tactically and physically. When I was at Toulouse, I weighed 70 kilos, today 75. The league is complicated, every game is difficult.
Tactically all the teams are strong. Then there’s also Covid, which is affecting practically all the clubs.
Finally, Akpa Akpro looked ahead to the Champions League Round of 16 tie against European champions Bayern Munich.
We want to keep climbing up the league to be ready to face the Germans.
The 28-year-old Akpa Akpro, who is contracted to the Roman club until 2022, has made 22 appearances across all competitions so far this season, for a total of 769 minutes. In that time, he has scored one goal and provided one assist.
