Today marks 53 years since the tragedy of Vitinia A day where we bow to two great athletes and personalities – an example of bravery and humanity wrote PFK Levski on their official website The names of Georgi Asparuhov and Nikola Kotkov remind us that there are legends that do not die and the sadness for them is not just sadness for two great players It is not only a sadness for the sports community Because the loss of valiant people always hurts Gundy and Kotkov remained in football and public memory with their charm and elegance Everything has been written and said about their career and the victories and goals with Levski and with the national team will be remembered forever they were universal favorites because they possessed incredible human qualities It is our duty to preserve the memory and tell about their great achievements as athletes and people „PFK Levski“ bows before the memory of Georgi Asparuhov and Nikola Kotkov More news from Sport If football has always been a part of his life This is an interview about how a young boy who grew up dreaming about playing for his hometown club – and made it happen I was lucky to have two parents and a brother who loved me I grew up in the outskirts of Rome in a suburb called Vitinia All I needed was a ball at my feet and I was happy." How old were you when you discovered AS Roma existed "I think I must have been four or five when I first started watching games on TV with my dad That's when I began to understand what football was all about the rules and who that team in yellow and red was." My dad used to play football – not at the very top level but he made it up to Promozione [Italy's sixth tier] almost on a par with the Lega Pro [third tier] of today Did anyone in your extended family ever try and convince you to support Lazio He was called Alessandro and we went to primary school together My dad had already pushed me in the right direction but spending all day with each other at school but I ended up fending him off and staying a Roma fan." did you watch matches on television or go to the Stadio Olimpico "I first started learning about football and Roma while playing outside my house and watching games on TV at a very young age Then when I was about five or six – I don't remember when exactly – my dad started taking me to the Olimpico I can't remember the first match I ever saw at the stadium but I remember other things from that day How old were you when you first started kicking a ball I fell in love with the game very early on I remember I used to play indoors because we didn't have a garden The only person who as a bit less happy was my mum because I broke a few things around the house." Who was the first player you can remember trying to emulate in the school playground “There were the usual famous names when we played outside or at school and of course being in the capital Francesco Totti was the most popular of the lot Then when I grew up and started playing for teams Cesc Fabregas was my idol – I thought he was a magnificent player." "My first team was a club called Axa that has ties with my family My dad used to play for them and my mum worked in the bar at the sports center so it was only natural that I would start kicking a ball about there." "When we were really young at Axa it was just five-a-side so we didn't really have a position The first times we played with specific positions I played as a second striker with two up front or if there were three forwards I'd play wide on the right or left." Did you stand out as the best player even then I realized that when we used to have kick-abouts and in the first league matches Athletically and technically I was one of the best." which was basically Rome's third-biggest team at the time as they were still playing in Serie C After two years there I had to choose between Roma and Lazio because they both wanted me I made up my mind when I went to Trigoria with my dad and met Bruno Conti I don't remember what was said exactly but just the fact it was him and the way he welcomed me was enough to make me choose the Giallorossi." Do you remember your trial or first training session I remember the first training session clearly though a pitch near Via Marconi in the south of the city It was the 2001-02 season and I was just starting out with the Esordienti (U12s) I was quite nervous because it was the first time I'd worn the Roma kit and there were coaches from the club there But I forgot it all as soon as we started playing At the end of the day it was just us kicking a ball about on a pitch and having fun." "Not all the youth teams trained in Trigoria so it wasn't easy to meet the first-team players but I was lucky because I was a ball boy at the Olimpico I started in 2002-03 and that's where I got to see all the players One of the first players I saw close up was the captain [Francesco Totti] I remember thinking he looked very big and I felt rather intimidated but it only took a word from him and I immediately felt at ease." Did you ever meet De Rossi when you were young the first time I met and spoke to Daniel wasn't at Trigoria but on the beach who was already coaching the Primavera side and he knew me because although I was in a lower age group he'd occasionally called me up to train with his team We said hello to each other and chatted for a bit Then a few years later I met him again in the first team I get on really well with both him and Francesco." You were ten years old when Roma last won the Scudetto What are your most vivid memories of that time in the city "I have a really vivid memory of the last game of the season against Parma And I'll never forget the party afterwards – the whole city went wild My father and I went around Rome the day we clinched the title and again the week after when they had that party at Circus Maximus Lots of young players join club academies but are released each summer "You do think about it sometimes because you hear about it and see it happening to other people you've met in the game who didn't get the same breaks you did I think two things really help in that respect and they're both fundamental: having a good family and a strong mentality You need to be strong mentally and for that you need people who care about you looking after you and teaching you good values I was lucky because I had both my mum and dad who made sure I kept my feet on the ground They made sure I understood right from the start how important it is not to get carried away and to work hard if you want to achieve your targets." You must have had some real ups and downs during that time – did you have any particularly low moments when I was in the Giovanissimi Nazionali team I barely played in the regular season under coach Dario Scuderi Andrea Stramaccioni [former Udinese and Inter head coach] as I did the following year too when I moved up to the Allievi Nazionali with him." What’s your best memory from your time in the Roma academy "Definitely winning the Scudetto with the Primavera in 2011 given that in the final against Varese we were trailing 2-1 in the 91st minute It was an amazing feeling because I was captain of the team too." It takes a lot of sacrifices to make it as a footballer How hard was it seeing your friends doing stuff that you couldn't I didn’t mind not going out late on the weekend because once I started looking at football as a job that could provide me with a stable future the thing I missed the most when I was in the academy was not being able to play five-a-side when my friends called me On a number of occasions my father put his foot down and stopped me from going to play as he was afraid I’d get injured and I struggled to accept that At what point did you start secretly thinking – I’m going to make it as a professional footballer 'I can do this' in my last year with the Primavera when we’d won the Scudetto and I was going out on loan to Crotone Something happens in your mind and you realize that you’re on the right track What do you remember of the day you signed your first professional contract "I signed my first professional contract in Trigoria when I was in the Primavera team The best thing about it was that with me were the two people who were there on my very first day at Roma – ten years after I arrived for the first time My father and I entered Trigoria and crossed paths with Bruno Conti once again What can I say about that day… my parents were really proud and very happy because they realised I could achieve something big by doing my favorite thing in the world – playing football." Tell us about your memories of your debut – not many people can claim they replaced Totti on the pitch for their first Roma match… a Roma v Sampdoria match at the Stadio Olimpico Francesco himself made it really easy for me by giving me a quick smile – that calmed me down a bit I wasn’t on the pitch long as there were only three minutes left but I have to say it was a fantastic feeling It’s one of those big moments that stick in your memory and I’m happy my family were in the stands to see it." How much of a role have the likes of Francesco and Daniele De Rossi played in your development Both Francesco and Daniele have helped me in all areas They have been the two people that have helped me the most at Roma They’ve supported me and given me advice on everything from A to Z – especially in terms of the attitude you need to show on the pitch and more generally in an environment like Rome Sometimes they take me aside but often all it takes is a single word phrase or look to make me understand whether I’m doing something well or not." What have you learned from them as footballers and people "Francesco Totti doesn’t just teach you things – you see the stuff he pulls off on the field and try to recreate it Tell us about the emotion of scoring your first goal… my first back at Roma after my year on loan at Crotone the second match of the season and the first match I’d started I scored a header from a Totti assist – it was a great feeling I only realised the magnitude of what I’d done at the end of the match because during the game I was just thinking about giving my all I realised that the goal was a special moment that I’d remember forever." Being a local player – do you feel there is extra pressure on you or does being a boyhood fan help you I’m very proud to play for my hometown club but it brings with it great responsibility You have to try to find a balance and look at it from that perspective." Did your life change after you made your debut – and how do you deal with fame now but I’d be lying if I said my life hasn’t changed is nice and should never be looked on as a drag I think you should take it as a sign that you’re doing good things and are on the right track You need to take a laid-back approach to it and remember that you have a chance to set a good example for young children." did you think that maybe you wouldn’t have a career at Roma During that season I was only focusing on performing well and giving my all for Crotone with a view to showing Roma what I was really capable of Fortunately I was able to do a good job of that and was recalled by the Giallorossi." How did it feel to return to the club knowing that Roma really wanted you "It was really satisfying and almost a tiny bit of personal ‘revenge’ The year before that Roma hadn’t wanted to keep me but after a good season at Crotone I managed to make them think again It was a good feeling to earn the call from Roma through my performances on the field I have to say that from a personal perspective the year in Crotone was vitally important – I left home and grew up how much has your life changed and how much has it stayed the same "Apart from becoming more famous I’ve stayed the same I have the same values I did when I was young actually that has changed as we got married in July." if you were to offer one piece of advice for a young boy who now looks up to you and wants to play for Roma it’s fundamental that you always keep your feet on the ground even when you start playing in the big games The second thing is hard work – the only real way to realise your dreams is to make the sacrifices it’s vital that you try never to forget that football is about having fun – it’s the best game in the world." I confirm that I have read the privacy policy – EU VAT IT09305501000 - all rights reserved logos and artwork are registered or unregistered trademarks of Soccer S.r.l All other trademarks may be the property of their respective holders Paris: Paris Saint-Germain announced the extension of the contract of coach Luis Enrique until 2027 Ibrahim Mbaye and Nawfal Al Hanash also signed their first professional contract until 2027 Former Barcelona and Spain coach Luis Enrique arrived in Paris in July 2023 on a two-year deal and will now stay at the club until 2027 “I think we have an incredible future ahead of us and I hope we have lots of success with the club,” Luis Enrique said in a club statement PSG Chairman Nasser Al Khelaifi said: “We are delighted to announce the contract extension of our coach Luis Enrique and six great players who continue to build their future at Paris Saint-Germain Vitinia and Yiram Zag contribute a lot to our club We are very proud that our academy has produced the wonderful young players Ibrahim Mbaye and Nawfal Al Hanash who turned professionals.” “These announcements are new examples of the strong and long-term foundations that we have created at PSG based on the development of the best talent who put the collective aspect above all else.” who has contributed to the improvement of the club and made it develop on a cultural level in such a short time. We can be very excited about the future of PSG.”  The Spaniard led PSG to a domestic league and cup double last season while also taking them to the Champions League semi-finals They are currently well clear at the top of Ligue 1 and are through to the quarter-finals of this season’s French Cup Sie haben erfolgreich Ihre Einwilligung in die Nutzung von Transfermarkt mit Tracking und Cookies widerrufen Sie können sich jetzt zwischen dem Contentpass-Abo und der Nutzung mit personalisierter Werbung The village of Lomanikoro in Rewa was a sea of black and white as close family members friends and the people of Lau and Rewa came together to bid farewell to the late Lau chief The former politician and lawyer was the eldest son of Fiji’s former prime minister and president and the late Marama Bale Na Roko Tui Dreketi A private thanksgiving service was held at the Stella Maris Convent Chapel in Nasese Suva to commemorate the life of Ratu Finau before his funeral cortege proceeded for burial at Lomanikoro Village in Rewa said her father was “very loving” “He was very affectionate,” she said Vitinia Buadromo said they met at the University of the South Pacific (USP) in 1977 “He was a gentleman,” she recalled Ratu Finau’s body was first taken to the chiefly residence of Burenivudi at Lomanikoro before he was laid to rest at the chiefly burial grounds of Narusa Powered by PageSuite