Nainggolan Says He Could Still Play in Roma vs Inter, Blasts Monchi Over Roma Exit

Former Roma and Inter midfielder Radja Nainggolan says he still believes he could hold his own in a match like Roma vs Inter, and he's opened up on why he left the Giallorossi in 2018, placing the blame squarely on former sporting director Monchi.

Roma and Inter face off at the Stadio Olimpico today at 17:00 WAT in one of the biggest matches of Serie A's fifth round. Both sides sit level on 12 points after four games, the only two clubs in the league with a perfect record so far. Inter boast the division's top attack with 13 goals, while Roma have conceded just once, the best defensive record in Serie A.

Speaking to Gazzetta, Nainggolan didn't hold back when asked if he could still compete at that level.

"I have the feeling of someone who would still love to play a match like that. And perhaps I still could," he said. "Honestly, I think so. I believe I'd find a place, either as an attacking midfielder or a box-to-box midfielder."

The 37-year-old is currently playing for Belgian second-division side Patro Eisden, where he's scored twice in five league games this season.

"I'm still fit, and I'd love to be out there. I was at the Olimpico for Roma-Fiorentina, and I tell you, I really felt the urge to pull on my boots again," he added.

Looking ahead to today's clash, Nainggolan expects a tight, attacking contest.

"A great, tough game between two teams who love attacking football," he said. "Inter remain stronger; they have no rivals in Italy in terms of squad depth. However, Roma have found stability and identity under Gasperini. I hope they don't succumb to the pressure on what will be a complicated evening, where anything is possible. Dybala could be the difference-maker."

Despite his spell at Inter, Nainggolan says his heart never left Rome.

"I left my heart in Rome, with all due respect to Inter. Rome is where I was able to express myself fully. I would never have left," he said.

So why did he end up leaving for Inter in the summer of 2018? Nainggolan pointed the finger at Monchi, the club's sporting director at the time.

"It was Monchi's decision, the sporting director, who played a double game. He would ask me for advice on transfer market dealings while simultaneously negotiating to sell me," he explained. "On one hand, I understood the logic; he wanted to dismantle the squad Walter Sabatini had built to create one of his own. He used the same approach with Dzeko, whom he tried to sell to Chelsea. But at that time, we had just come from the Champions League semi-final against Liverpool; we were a great team, and we felt we could grow further."

At Inter, Nainggolan reunited with Luciano Spalletti, a manager he credits with some of his best football.

"I have to thank him, because with him I wrote the most exciting chapters of my career," he said. "It's a shame that after the first year, things didn't work out for me."

Things changed when Spalletti left and Antonio Conte took over.

"I paid the price for Spalletti's departure. Conte told me immediately that I wasn't part of his plans. Unlike Monchi, Antonio was direct with me, and I respected his assessment," Nainggolan said.

Interestingly, Conte had actually tried to sign Nainggolan for Chelsea years earlier, which made the Inter snub all the more puzzling.

"Who knows. Perhaps he was still enraged by that snub, but it wasn't the only one," Nainggolan concluded. "To stay at Roma, I also turned down a big offer from China."