Totti: Roma are ready for late title assault

The Giallorossi captain believes that the club can regain the lost ground on defending champions Juventus and blow the title race open once more

Francesco Totti is confident that Roma can close the gap on Serie A leaders Juventus and salvage their wavering title challenge.

The Giallorossi, who last won the Scudetto in 2001, have been victorious in just one of their last seven league matches which has seen them fall nine points adrift of the table-topping Bianconeri.

On Monday, at 20:45CET, Roma and Juve will go head-to-head at the Stadio Olimpico and the veteran striker is adamant that his team can rediscover their finest form and put the pressure back on Massimiliano Allegri's league leaders.

"We are convinced that we can get back on track in the league, reopening the title race which people are already claiming is over," Totti wrote told Corriere dello Sport.

"We are preparing well for this match, as we did for the one against Feyenoord. We have not had a great victory at the Olimpico in a long time, so it would be nice to see the fans in celebration, rejoicing with us.

"With the recovery of our best form and the return of Juan Manuel Iturbe, and the contribution that Seydou Doumbia and Victor Ibarbo will soon provide, we can go back to being the team that the entertained the fans.

"These last few weeks have not been easy, we are so sorry to have disappointed the supporters, but I’m confident and I think the worst is over. We have a good, united group. There is still time left this season and many matches to play. Roma's ready to do our part."

The 38-year-old also shared his ambitions for the Giallorossi in the Europa League and expressed his pleasure at seeing four other Serie A teams reach the last 16 too.

"We had prepared every detail before playing Feyenoord, because we knew how important it was for us, and our fans, to go through. We did not want to go out of Europe, because in this competition we can go all the way," Totti added.

"In the knockout stages of the Europa League we will meet Fiorentina in an all-Italian derby. I am happy that five Italian teams have made it to the knockout stages. It’s a good sign for our football and is important in the Uefa coefficients."

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