In a rare two-hour podcast, the Ukrainian striker discusses his difficult spell at Roma, his relationship with the fans, why he rarely celebrates goals, and the coaches who shaped his journey.
Artem Dovbyk has finally broken his silence.
The Roma striker, who rarely gives interviews, opened up in a lengthy podcast recorded in his native Ukraine, offering the most personal and revealing look yet at his life, his career, and his future in the Italian capital.
One comment, in particular, immediately caught the attention of Roma supporters.
“I don’t like leaving things unfinished,” Dovbyk said when asked about transfer speculation. “Leaving during the summer is one thing. Leaving in January is another.”
The statement suggests the Ukrainian international still wants to prove himself after an injury-plagued season in which he made just 14 appearances.
Despite persistent transfer rumors, Dovbyk insists he still believes he has unfinished business at Roma.
One of the podcast’s most interesting moments came when he was asked a question many fans have wondered for months: why doesn’t he celebrate his goals with more emotion?
“I honestly don’t know,” Dovbyk admitted with a smile. “That’s just who I am. Maybe it’s my subconscious. You read things, you hear criticism, and maybe that stops me from raising my arms and saying, ‘Look at me.'”
He was quick, however, to praise Roma’s supporters.
“The stadium is always full. Seventy thousand fans, no matter who the opponent is,” he said. “Roma supporters are incredible. One day you’re the king, the next day everything collapses. When you score and the team wins, they make you feel like the best player in Europe. So yes, scoring at the Olimpico makes me very happy.”
Dovbyk also reflected on the coaching changes he has experienced since arriving in Rome.
He revealed that he chose Roma over Atlético Madrid after speaking with Daniele De Rossi.
“When I talked to De Rossi, I decided to choose Roma,” Dovbyk explained. “I had a unique connection with him and trusted him completely. I never imagined he would leave so quickly. For me, Daniele is like Francesco Totti—a club legend. I couldn’t believe a legend like that could be replaced.”
Things changed dramatically after De Rossi’s departure.
“We lost everything,” Dovbyk said about Ivan Jurić’s tenure. “The fans whistled us in front of 70,000 people. We just kept losing.”
He credited Claudio Ranieri with stabilizing the situation.
“Ranieri is a very wise man. He helped us get out of that difficult period step by step.”
Now, another chapter has begun under Gian Piero Gasperini.
According to Dovbyk, the Italian coach has quickly built a reputation for demanding training sessions.
“With Gasperini you run a lot—with and without the ball. Really a lot,” he said.
Before beginning preseason, Dovbyk sought advice from fellow Ukrainian Ruslan Malinovskyi, who previously played under Gasperini at Atalanta.
“He told me, ‘You’ll work incredibly hard, but nobody has ever died from Gasperini’s training.’ He was right.”
Away from football, Dovbyk said he feels comfortable living in Rome, although he admitted he still prefers Ukrainian cuisine over Italian or Spanish food.
He also praised several teammates, highlighting Zeki Çelik, Mario Hermoso and Paulo Dybala, whom he described as someone who regularly checks in to ask about the situation in Ukraine.
Regarding last summer’s transfer window, Dovbyk confirmed that AC Milan had shown interest before his move to Roma.
“Yes, Milan wanted me,” he revealed. “But there wasn’t enough time to complete everything before the deadline.”
As for a possible departure now, the striker remains focused on earning another opportunity in the Giallorossi shirt, even if a future return to Spain—where he enjoyed tremendous success with Girona—remains an appealing possibility.
Before ending the interview, Dovbyk was also asked about Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup.
“For Italians, it was a tragedy,” he said simply.
For now, however, his attention remains fixed on Roma—and on finishing what he believes he started.
