Ciao Roma,

Just writing this gives me a lump in my throat. In amongst all the conflicting emotions I’m feeling, it is a real melancholy that prevails right now - because my time at this club, a club that I have loved so deeply from the first day I wore the famous Roma shirt, is now over.

I chose this place because Roma is about passion, because Roma is about challenging yourself, because Roma turns you into a man.

I chose this place because there is nothing like Roma.

After seven years, I would like to say thank you to the people of Rome for the way they welcomed my family and me; to the fans for appreciating me as a player and more recently as part of the backroom staff - but, above all, as a person absolutely in love with this team.

Those not from Rome can still represent Roma and everything it stands for too: I was born in Turin, but I feel deeply connected to this city and this club.

We have been bound by a magical moment, a magical goal, a magical race and those magical tears. They were the tears of Roma as a whole and the most wonderful thing is knowing that we were all united as one at that moment.

I'd like to thank each and every one of my team-mates. I devoted my playing career to Roma, and want to say thanks to every coach I worked for and with over those seven years: from Zdenek Zeman to Claudio Ranieri, thank you to all of you.

Thank you to all the people I've met during my time at Trigoria, to the people who work at the training ground every day and make it such a special place. I've felt at home since day one thanks to all of you.