Roma vs Bologna preview - Diamanti upbeat despite defeats

Posted Sunday, September 16, 2012 by PA

Two losses out of two is hardly the best preparation for a trip to the capital, but Bologna forward Alessandro Diamanti refuses to be pessimistic about his side's visit to the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.

Roma may have made a slow start to the season, but Diamanti picked up some added self-confidence with Italy and is ready to pass on that newfound enthusiasm to his team-mates.

Diamanti played in both of Italy's World Cup qualifiers, coming off the bench against Bulgaria and starting the 2-0 victory over Malta.

"When you go and play with the national team, it does you a lot of good," he said.

"Everybody in the squad wants what is best for Italy, which is how it should be. We are a national team who excite the fans and we are delighted with that.

"There is a great atmosphere within the national team squad."

The atmosphere has not been so good in Bologna after a 3-1 defeat to AC Milan a fortnight ago, but Diamanti is ready to turn the page.

"The game against Milan is water under the bridge," he told Sky Sport. "We did take some positives out of it, despite the negative result.

"We have got to try and build on these. It is going to be a very difficult game and we will try to play a as well as we can against a great side, trying everything to cause them problems."

Inter failed in doing that two weeks ago when Roma showed the extent of their potential with a 3-1 win at the San Siro.

That victory has sparked a new wave of euphoria in the capital and up to 50,000 fans are expected to show their support for Zdenek Zeman's attack-minded team.

They will hope to see the club's captain Francesco Totti, who appears to have recovered from an ankle injury, while Italy strikers Mattia Destro and Pablo Osvaldo are also vying for a place in Roma's star-studded attack.