This was a press conference like none before for Roberto De Zerbi as Albion head coach and he seemed to relish it.

Back in his homeland, he took to the stage a few minutes ahead of schedule and fielded an array of lengthy questions from his compatriots in the media.

He was speaking a day ahead of the Europa League clash with Roma.

Throughout, he showed respect for his home country and his team’s next opponents.

But he also displayed fierce pride in his current club, his squad and the job he is doing in England.

He was the spokesman and leader of a determined, close-knit bunch of players rewriting club history and defying football logic while seeing some of their ace cards taken from the pack.

What are Brighton doing, preparing to take on Roma in the last 16 in Europe?

How on earth did Brighton get to ninth place in the Premier League?

And how on earth are people complaining about them ‘only’ being ninth?

There was a reference to why he left Italy in the first place.

And an indication that he is not yet ready to come back.

The belief among many observers remains that De Zerbi will leave Albion this summer and one of the big Italian clubs would be an irresistible lure.

We don’t know whether he is desperate to go back for family or other reasons not related to Albion.

There is no indication that is the case.

But, following the build-up to tonight’s game, it appears he has built up some sort of aura and mystique, a fascination, in Italy by the fact he is doing good things away from his home.

And I think he might like that.

If not a uniqueness, then it is certainly a specialness.

Maybe he would like to keep that mystique for some time yet.

What he certainly transmitted in that media room beneath the sweeping stands of the Stadio Olimpico was his passion for the team he coaches now.

He underlined why he thinks it is special relationship.

The Italian media asked most of the questions, which was fine and to be expected.

They bent the rules somewhat by asking two at a time.

But they don’t get this opportunity often while we have it every week.

The questions were long and the answers even longer as De Zerbi enjoyed the chance to be communicative in his native tongue.

He has never spoken so much in a press conference while wearing the Albion badge.

But is he in a hurry to come back as head coach in Serie A?

He replied: “It’s not true that I don’t think about it.

“Usually, I do what makes me happy and right now that’s to be where I am.

“I am lucky to compete with this team at this level.

“It makes me happy when we win but when we lose it is something special.

“One day back to Italy? I don’t know when it will come.

“But, when I made a choice to go to Shakhtar, I did it because I wanted to find a way outside Italy.

“Without going into too many details, there were some things in Italy I didn’t like.

“I decided to do something else.”

Albion go into battle without an array of players but De Zerbi was in defiant mood.

He said: “We can complain and cry or take it as a chance and try to compete.

“No-one will guarantee that we can go through with Joao Pedro, Milner, Hinshelwood and Mitoma and so on and no-one will guarantee we cannot go through without them.

“I already said this to my players.

“We have complaints because we have enough to be competitive.”

And that crowd? There might be some smiles among Albion fans when they see the first venue he referenced.

But the point that his squad like big stages was well made.

He said: “We played at Old Trafford and won, we drew at Marseille, we played well at AEK in a hot stadium, and won.

“I know how hard they push. It’s going to be a test. But this should motivate us and give us a boost.”

There was a suggestion that De Zerbi’s own daughter, who is friends with the De Rossis, would be supporting Roma.

No chance. He said: “My daughter is not a Roma supporter!

“My daughter and his daughter were supporting Roma but, when someone is playing against her father, of course she will support me. 

"I’ve no doubt about this. Myself, I was supporting Roma in the shoot-out against Feyenoord."

Very early on, he was asked about a comment he apparently made about Italian coaches lacking courage.

He replied: “I was referring to the typical Italian mindset but, if you look back at recent championships and especially Daniele De Rossi, things have changed.

“Look at Serie A. Atalanta showing courage, same as Italiano, Motta.

“He (De Rossi) was born to be a coach.

“I was talking to him before he was coaching SPAL and I was sure he would become a great coach.

“He has personality and charisma, everything a coach needs.

“I am happy he is doing well, changing a team that was already good and getting very good results.

“It is not automatic but on right track to become great coach.”

De Zerbi was not the only Albion representative on the top table.

It is a UEFA requirement that a player is made available for questions and, as for the home game with AEK, that man was Pascal Gross.

He would have known what to expect with De Zerbi in the spotlight.

He would not have too many questions to answer.

Gross sat and waited patiently and then got a question about whether the surrounds of Rome had inspired him.

Of course, there is every chance he had seen nothing apart from an airport, a team bus, a hotel and a changing room.

For that, the question might have fallen flat.

But it deserved a good answer and got it as Gross referred to his liking of the film Gladiator.

De Zerbi, though, played the central role.

As a proud leader of men. An Albion ambassador and a gladiator in his own way.