[goldenHuddlestone]

Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani believes his team has narrowed the gap with Inter after this summer's transfer dealings.

After the Scudetto race of last year and this summer's transfer dealings, the big question on many Italian fans' minds is: is the difference between Inter and Roma still as large as last season? No, at least that's what Alberto Aquilani thinks about it. The Roman midfielder believes the difference is smaller after the various purchases made by the Giallorossi so far.

His reasoning behind it is uncomplicated: "The team is unchanged with respect to last year, apart from the sale of Chivu," he said, "and some important players have arrived. So if even last year we were not very inferior to them then this year the difference will be even less."

In a few days there will be time to talk about it again, as there will be a new Italian Supercup final between the two sides. After the debacle of last year (Roma lost the game 4-3 in extra time after leading 3-0), Aquilani is seeking redemption: "For me it brings back both sweet and sour memories. At the end of the first half [in which he scored twice], I was the happiest person in the world, while at the end of it I was the saddest.

"If we had won it would have been a double satisfaction for me. Now we gave a great chance for redemption and that experience can serve us."

Experiences. Despite his young age, Aquilani has already had a lot of them. But now it's time for him to show his true worth: "This is an important year for me, I have reached 23 years of age and I have to show my worth to the fullest: it will be a decisive season."

A long-term objective? To become the new heir to home-grown golden boys Totti and De Rossi: "My hope is to stay here at Roma. I hope to able to show my worth here."