Roberto Mancini began Monday’s press conference at Coverciano by welcoming two young Italian referees, David Bartolotta and Andrea Arnone, who had been attacked by club directors and players earlier this month.
The Azzurri CT spoke to the media for the first time ahead of the opening Euro 2024 qualifying fixtures against England and Malta.
He began hosting two young referees, 18-year-old Andrea Arnone and 22-year-old David Bartolotta.
A club director attacked Arnone at the end of Oregina–Anpi Casassa, a U14 league game in Liguria earlier this month. The man, 44, repeatedly punched him in the face and head. The young referee was admitted to the hospital, where he was treated for 15 days.
Bartolotta, from Palermo, was assaulted by home team players after a Promozione game between Villarosa and Pro Falcone in Sicily on March 4, 2023.
Both sat close to Mancini during his press conference at Coverciano and spoke before the Azzurri CT.
AIA vice-president Duccio Baglioni and the President of the youth sector Vito Tisci were also at Coverciano today, with Football Italia among the accredited media.
“These incidents make us understand what can happen out there,” said Bartolotta.
“We’ll return stronger than before, we are ready to return to the pitch; being here is the opportunity of a lifetime.”
“I thank those who allowed us to be here today,” added Arnone.
“It was a bad moment in a wonderful scenario. I love football and I love being a referee, it’s my passion, but we’ll be back stronger. These things should never happen, but we must be able to face them and react.”
Mancini also encouraged the emerging referees before posing with them for a picture.
“These things should never happen, football is the best sport in the world and you can’t play it without referees. Good luck to them, I hope we’ll see them in Serie A one day.”
Read Mancini’s full press conference here.