In a wide-ranging interview, Santon also discusses: Financially supporting non-playing staff, finishing Serie A & Europa League, proposed takeover at former club Newcastle & returning to training safely
Friday 1 May 2020 14:48, UK
Roma defender Davide Santon tells Sky Sports News about his decision to give up 16 weeks' wages during the coronavirus pandemic.
Italy has one of the highest death tolls in Europe, with more than 27,600 confirmed fatalities, and Santon says his salary sacrifice was the least he could do during a global crisis.
"We felt we could help," he explains.
"So many people in football, and in everything, they don't have the same salary we've got so I think it was good we were able to help other people. That's why we decided to do that.
"Four months is a lot, but we care about our team, we care about the people working for us. We know football is not only footballers and coaches, it's many people working around football.
"We wanted to sacrifice four months of our salary to help these people, to be able to start again."
Roma's players are also topping up the wages of non-playing staff, who are on the Italian government's social safety net scheme, to ensure they receive their regular monthly income.
He says: "We pay extra money to be able to help all the people working for Roma because we know they need money to keep their family running, to be able to buy food and everything. For us, it was important to help everyone we could.
"We got a video where everyone was saying 'thank you' in all different languages. It was a very nice video, emotional as well. You could see how important it was for them to receive that kind of money."
Returning to training
Santon hopes the players can return to training on their own from May 4, with group training by May 18, subject to government approval.
"Health is the most important thing, before any kind of sport," he says. "If you have the protection to be able to train… I think you can go back to training.
"I don't think it's reasonable if people can go outside and run in the park, free, but we cannot go back to our training session in our ground. I don't think that is fair, especially because we will have control."
"Season must finish"
Roma are fifth in Serie A, with 12 games remaining, and Santon says the season must be completed in line with UEFA's strong recommendation.
The Italian club are also in the last 16 of the Europa League against Sevilla, but their first leg, at home, was postponed due to coronavirus.
"I think it's important the season should finish," he says.
"If the season doesn't finish it's going to be an even bigger problem than we already have. For me it's so important, not only for us but for everyone who lives around football."
"I just hope everything will get back to normal and we will be able to finish the league, Europa League and Champions League.
"For us, it's an important competition. I just hope, if the league is back on track, the Europa League and Champions League can be back as well.
"Especially because they're such an exciting competition, to play in and to watch for everyone. Let's just hope for the best.
"I've been in Rome for two years, I feel at home. I feel like a part of club, but all the city. It looks like we're all working together, trying to respect the rules, trying to help each other.
"I'm happy to be here. Even in this difficult situation I notice people care about each other. That's what's really important for me."
Newcastle: The next Manchester City?
Santon played more than 90 games for Newcastle, including a Europa League quarter-final against Benfica, before his move to Inter Milan in 2015.
He has followed news of the club's proposed takeover with interest and says the club could be inspired by Manchester City's change of ownership in 2008.
"I still love it there, I still love the city," he says. "Newcastle is one club that will always be in my heart.
"In football you need to have money. I just hope, whatever owner Newcastle's going to have, I just hope it's going to be the best for the club, the fans, the players and for everyone who lives in Newcastle.
"Newcastle deserve a great mentality and, hopefully, if they're talking about all that money, maybe in a couple of years, they can get to win some titles, who knows!
"Reading the news, if the new owner has that much money, maybe it's possible. You never know, when the owner of Manchester City took over, some time ago, maybe it can happen even with Newcastle.
"If I see Newcastle doing well, I can only be happy."
Following his move to Inter Milan, Santon's wife, Chloe Sanderson, posted on social media how she was "disgusted" with how he had been treated and claimed his move had been financially motivated by the club.
"She never had a conversation with Mike Ashley," he smiles.
"It's all about newspapers, what you read in the news. I never had nothing against Mike Ashley because I saw him only two times when I played for Newcastle, I didn't see [him] that many times. I have nothing against him.
"What I care is that I wanted Newcastle to win, and to get some good games and good seasons."
Adjusting to lockdown
Santon and his young family have spent nearly two months in lockdown.
"I haven't turned the news on that much," he concedes.
"I know what's going on in the world, obviously, but a lot of stories make me sad.
"Sometimes I just prefer not watching it. Obviously, my wife is from England, she updates me, and she tells me everything, how our family are doing.
"Every single day is super busy. When I wake up in the morning, I have a two-hour training session, and homework with my daughter, who's six.
"In the afternoon, we play in the garden, here the weather is nice, and then some PlayStation or a TV series with my wife or a movie with the little one.
"It's not easy being home for this long and always having the motivation for training. I hope we're going to get back on the pitch soon. Football is such an important sport for everyone. We just hope we can start playing football again."
