Pjanic: ‘Totti deserves respect’

Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic says Francesco Totti “deserves respect from everyone”.

The Giallorossi captain it still not certain to be offered a new contract, meaning he could leave at the end of the season after over 700 games for the club.

Pjanic gave an interview to N1 in his native Bosnia, and was asked whether he felt he was being compared to Er Pupone.

“We’re not the same type of player,” the midfielder pointed-out.

“It’s impossible to compare with Totti, no-one in the world can do that. What Totti has done with his club you see once in a lifetime.

“His story is phenomenal. He was born and raised here, he’s been with the same team for 20 years.

“To be such a great man and player deserves respect from everyone, and it’s been an honour to be his teammate for five years, to see him training every day and see this phenomenal player.

“I’ve tried to learn form him, but the difference is that he’s a forward and I’m a midfielder, we don’t play in the same position.

“He’s a great friend and teammate, and I repeat, it’s an honour to be on the same team and play with Totti.”

Pjanic was also asked about the Lupi’s season, and admits there’s regret about their mid-season form.

“We started very well, the objective was to win the Scudetto. Obviously that’s very difficult to do with Juventus, who have a great team, even thought they started really badly.

“At one point we found ourselves with a big advantage of 15 points over them, but we had this black hole in mid-season and we dropped a lot of points.

“Juve have come back with an amazing run and they’re back on top, we weren’t able to play well consistently to stay top.

“Now we have three games to go and we want to do as well as possible.

“Everyone wanted more, but I think we’d settle for second place and the Champions League.”