Alisson: I cried when leaving Roma for Liverpool

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson has admitted he cried when leaving Roma to join the Merseyside club this summer.

Alisson made 49 appearances last season for Roma in all competitions, supplanting Ederson from between the sticks for Brazil and helping the Giallorossi reach the Champions League semi-final – eventually being knocked out by the club he has now joined.

That stellar season prompted Liverpool to pay £64.5m, briefly a world record for a goalkeeper, for his services in the summer.

However, despite admitting that the move will help fulfil his career ambitions, Alisson did concede that he and his family were very sad to leave Rome.

“Leaving Rome was difficult, I cried for a long time and my wife did too,” Alisson confessed in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport (via Football Italia).

“It’s right to be honest, I made a professional choice. I made a step forward in my career and Roma got a big fee.

“I decided with my head to go to Liverpool, but my heart was full of tears. I spent two special years in Rome, my daughter was born there and I have many friends there, even outside of football.

“There were many times that I’d just walk around the city at night. The Trevi fountain is a beautiful sight at night, but my favourite place is the Colosseum, you can breathe the history.

“I was very happy in Rome, but when a player chooses where to play you have to consider other things. I have big ambitions, so do Liverpool, and now I’m in the most important league in the world.”

Alisson and his Liverpool teammates are preparing to face Napoli in the Champions League on Wednesday, with the 25-year-old looking forward to the challenge of playing at the Stadio San Paolo once again, as well as being unable to split the two sets of fans.

He added: “That’s a beautiful challenge, they’re two great sets of fans that have few rivals across the world. You can hear the Kop, it’s there, but when the Sud is full it’s a real spectacle.

“It’s very passionate in Naples, I like to play at the San Paolo. The fans always sing, they’re never quiet.

“It’ll be a great challenge in a great group, Napoli drawing in Belgrade only helps us if we do our part.”

On the domestic front, Liverpool have made a great start to the new Premier League season, taking 19 points from a possible 21 so far.

The Reds’ next league game is at home to defending champions Manchester City on Sunday.

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