Tammy Abraham told himself to get in the ‘right place’ before scoring a late equaliser for Roma against Napoli and admits he’d love to end Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten run in the Europa League semi-finals.
Abraham’s first goal in 2024 helped Roma secure an away 2-2 draw at Napoli. The English striker had returned to action earlier this month in a derby della Capitale against Lazio after suffering a knee injury in June 2023.
“To come here it’s never an easy place. They are the team that won the title last season. It’s always difficult,” Abraham told DAZN after scoring against Napoli.
“We didn’t have many chances, so today we had to dig deep as a team. For the corner, I told myself just to get in the right place. Luckily I was there.
“I dreamt about this moment from the beginning of the season. I had a difficult injury and it was all about getting myself ready and my mind ready,” he continued.
“Thank God I am back, and I am feeling much better. I’ve been waiting for this goal for so long; it’s a dream, and I’ll celebrate with my teammates and my family and get ready for the next game.”
The Giallorossi will host Bayer Leverkusen at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday in the first leg of the Europa League semi-finals.
They already beat the Germans in the same stage of last season’s edition of the Europa League, but this time Xabi Alonso’s side have won the domestic title for the first time ever and are unbeaten in 45 league matches.
“I think we are a team that loves challenges, especially me,” said Abraham.
“We would love to be the team that stops their run, but of course, we have to pay them respect; they are a good team, and they’ve done amazingly this season, but we have to be ready as we want to get to the Final. It’s going to be a good game.”
Abraham, a former Chelsea striker, joined Roma in a €40m deal in 2021 and became the most prolific debutant in the Giallorossi’s history netting 27 times in 53 appearances in 2021-22. He has now scored 37 goals in 113 matches with the Giallorossi who will meet Juventus at the Olimpico in the next Serie A game.
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