How Alex Muller's ideas intertwined with the condensed matter theory group of Rome

The discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in a cuprate by K.A. Muller (AM, hereafter) and J. G. Bednorz triggered an enormous activity all over condensed matter ranging from solid and liquid physics to many body physics and statistical mechanics, as well as a frantic mediatic attention. Besides this, their discovery shaped this field reviving the attention to new and old issues (like, e.g., strong electron-electron correlation, electron-phonon interactions, Fermi liquid theory and its violation, mechanism of superconductivity...). AM accompanied and conditioned for long time this scientific life with his remarks, opinions, and findings. We aim here at recollecting how he followed and stimulated our research activity in all the topics indicated above, to point out how his ideas and our theoretical findings interacted while evolving in both converging or diverging directions.