Totti: "Gervinho=Cristiano Ronaldo"

The World Cup winner has described the Ivorian as "a beast", while also admitting that he had no idea how good Kevin Strootman was either...

Francesco Totti has claimed if Roma team-mate Gervinho scored more goals, he would be on the same level as Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Ivorian has proven a surprise success story at the Stadio Olimpico since joining the Giallorossi from English outfit Arsenal last summer.

Gervinho may have only hit four goals in Serie A so far but Totti has been blown away by the 26-year-old's combination of pace and power.

"I had seen him two or three times at Arsenal, but up close he is a beast," the Roma captain is quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport.

Gervinho © en.starafrica.com

"If he also scored goals, he would be Cristiano Ronaldo and Roma would never have got him."

Totti also admitted that he has been even more taken aback by the performances of midfielder Kevin Strootman, who arrived from PSV before the start of the season, but says that the most significant signing Roma made last summer was that of coach Rudi Garcia.

"I didn't really know [Strootman] and I never thought that he would be so strong," the World Cup winner confessed.

"But when Garcia arrived here, he had an extraordinary impact. He was direct with everyone. He doesn't mince his words, neither externally nor internally.

"Everyone knows how he thinks. When he speaks, it's either black or white. He sees everyone in the same away. It makes no difference.

"When they chose him, I feared that it was another gamble. We were going to take a coach in France, from Lille, while we needed a certainty; an Italian, and one with experience ..."