Robert: I replayed my stoppage time goal against PSG in 2017 an entire night

Recently, Como's official website published an interview with player Roberto. During the interview, Roberto talked about his past at Barcelona and his outlook at Como now.

At the beginning of this interview, Como's official website wrote that since Roberto joined Como on August 23, 2024, he has spent some time here—long enough for his story to no longer be limited to the narrative of "a new signing arriving," but to show his true inner world: who he really is without the aura of Barcelona, what habits he has kept, what values have never changed, and what kind of profound player he chooses to be in the new environment.

At Barcelona, Roberto was not a player with a fixed position, but a reliable solution for the team to solve problems. When the game needed control, he played as a midfielder; when balance was needed, he played as a right-back. He could handle changes, but never let changes revolve around himself. Barcelona's official farewell statement did not romanticize things; instead, it emphasized his long-term service, number of appearances, honors winning matches, and the fact that he dedicated most of his life to the club.

In the interview with Como's official website, Roberto talked about what it felt like to leave Barcelona's bubble-like environment for the first time.

"To be honest, leaving Barcelona was really sad. Barcelona is the team of my life. I've been a Barcelona fan since I was a kid, and I spent my entire career there. At first, it was very sad, but at the same time, I'm proud of my career at Barcelona and all the honors I've won. I also felt like I wanted to try another experience."

If most players have a classic moment that is replayed forever, Roberto's is inevitable—the comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in March 2017, the winning goal in the 95th minute of the game, and the entire stadium erupting in unbelievable cheers. Such a moment can turn a substitute player into a permanent iconic figure.

When asked about some small, unbroadcasted memories, he didn't talk about clever details; instead, he recalled the time after the game, those small moments where adrenaline made people extremely excited.

"The comeback against Paris Saint-Germain was an incredible experience. I remember the moment I scored— the whole stadium went crazy, and my teammates did too. The celebration lasted for weeks. That night, after the game, I couldn't sleep at all because I kept replaying that goal all night long."

This image is very intimate and consistent with his public image—he is not someone who chases attention, but someone who feels deeply and collects those moments quietly.

Away from the football field, he is very ordinary. The rare date nights with his wife have no football, no kids, and are not for showing off his lifestyle—just simple aperitifs, dinner, good wine, and maybe a movie.

"Date nights with my wife are nothing special. We might have an aperitif first, then go to a nice restaurant—maybe Italian or sushi—with good wine. Or go to the movies, since that's an arrangement both of us like a lot."

His favorite food on rest days hasn't changed, and he admits he can't cook it.

"My favorite food on rest days is sushi. I still can't make sushi, so I order takeout or go to a restaurant to eat it."

When asked about game day routines, his answer was straightforward: "I don't have any routines or superstitions, none at all."

Instead, his stability is reflected in the people he contacts—those who keep him grounded.

"After the game, I usually call my wife and father. They always like to talk after the game. To be honest, I don't really like talking about the game right after it ends, especially after a loss—I don't like it at all. But luckily, we've been doing well lately. So I always talk to my wife and father after the game."

The players he admires also reflect his values. First is Ronaldinho, for the joy and for making a generation fall in love with Barcelona.

"My favorite player when I was little was Ronaldinho. When he came to Barcelona, he brought joy to all the fans. He was a magical player."

Then there's Marc Márquez, because of the motorcycle racer's mentality, persistence, and his choice to return even after the easy path ended.

"Other idols come from another sport. Recently, I admire Marc Márquez (a Spanish MotoGP rider). Besides being lucky enough to call him a friend, I admire him because after winning so many world championships, he went through many injuries that affected his ability to maintain his level. He came back last year and won the world championship again. I like his mentality—overcoming adversity. Even after winning everything and going through tough times, he still persisted and finally got rewarded."

When asked what beliefs about football he had at 15 that he no longer holds now, he said straightforwardly: football will become a job, but the goal is to protect the initial passion.

"At 15, football was just my passion. I always had a ball at my feet since I was little, even when I was studying at home. It was like playing with friends after school—I had so much fun, it was the happiest time of the day. Now it's more of a job, but I'm lucky that I still enjoy it as I did when I was young, because I'm very happy playing football. Every morning I can't wait to go to training. I'm grateful that my passion has become a career and I can make a living from it. This is my favorite thing, so I hope to keep doing it for many more years. The main difference is just that it allows me to make a living from it."

If football hadn't worked out, he said he would still have chosen a sports-related field.

"I would probably work in football or sports. This is what I love most and what I'm passionate about, so it would definitely be related to sports and football."

If a friend comes to Como for the first time, how would he show them around? Regarding this, Roberto said: "I've done it several times. I always like to start from the city center and let them see this part of Como. Then we walk from the stadium to the port and take a boat tour around the lake."

For him, the best thing about the club is not the scenery, but the people and the feeling that the team is more than the players themselves.

"For me, the best thing is the family atmosphere formed here. The Como project is very new; it has gone through many changes, and many people and players have joined."

This is Roberto's story—not a story about arrival, nor about reinventing himself, but about a player who was trusted for many years in one of the harshest environments in football. He still maintains the same stability and measures the club by daily standards, which often don't appear in highlight reels.

Maybe this is the point. The loudest moment of his career will always be the goal against Paris Saint-Germain, but the qualities that keep him important are more low-key: adaptability, stability, and care for the people around him. At Como, this stability has room to breathe. He talks about longing to train every morning. He talks about a club that feels like home from the locker room to the staff. His conversation is full of love for the game.