The words of the Albanian defender: “I grew a lot under Mourinho in terms of character and mentality: he tells you the truth to your face. He helps you to see soccer in a different way.”

Marash Kumbulla, former defender for Roma and now playing for Espanyol, gave an interview to rg. Org, in which he shared and spoke about his experiences in the Capital and with Mourinho. Here are his words:

On the move to Rome: “In the beginning, I wasn’t thinking about the price, I just wanted to play football. The pressure was intense; Roma is a major team in Italy and the fans demand a lot. Nevertheless, I truly enjoyed my time at Roma. The pressure, even in the difficult times, helped me grow.

On Mourinho: I’ve grown a lot under Mourinho in terms of character and mentality, he gives you the truth right to your face. “It helps you to see soccer in a different way and this makes it easier to play at a higher level.”

About the decision to go to Spain: “There were many other teams interested in signing me, but after speaking with the coach and the director of the club, I immediately wanted to go to Espanyol.” They didn’t promise that I would play in all the matches, but they made me feel very confident by the way they spoke to me. At the beginning, I was a bit scared because it was my first time out of Italy. However, after just one week, it felt as though I had already been there for months.