Walter Sabatini has offered Roma’s version of why they sold Mehdi Benatia to Bayern Munich, and commented on Douglas Maicon.
Walter Sabatini has offered Roma’s version of why they sold Mehdi Benatia to Bayern Munich, and commented on Douglas Maicon.
Benatia commented earlier this week that he had hoped to remain with the Giallorossi this season, but was sold due to the club’s need for the money.
Following President James Pallotta’s strong words to the contrary, Roma’s sporting director has offered the club’s version of events further detailed.
“Bayern Munich have asked us to put an end to this public palaver, they do not want any further statements,” Sabatini began to reporters today.
“I would like to return a portion of truth to this story. Benatia had good conditions but then he slipped. When I looked to him in May of last year, he had an offer from another Italian team, but he accepted our lower offer.
“In January he received external approaches and came to me saying that he wanted to stay in Rome under certain conditions and that if they were not realised then he would feel offended.
“He wanted €5m-per-season for five years. We could not give him the money but we adjusted the contract to compensate for what he had lost economically in choosing us.
“He asked for a salary that we could not give him and we had to sell him. I talked of a €61m price-tag referring to what he had done, dictated by what he had become at Roma.
“We sold Benatia because he no longer had the strength or desire to continue with us. Now it is over and there is nothing else to say.”
Sabatini, who also discussed interest in Adrien Rabiot, reflected on Douglas Maicon’s future at the club. Speculation has been that contract renewal talks have stalled with the defender, who was sent home from international duty early this week for ‘internal reasons’.
“I am forced to offer a little backstory,” Sabatini has offered in response today.
“Maicon, when he came to Roma, turned down an immeasurably amount to leave Manchester City, accepting a modest offer from Roma with respect to his value.
“When I read that Maicon is scheming on economic terms, I was horrified. To come here he has given up so much money that it is difficult for a professional to turn down.
“We owe him respect, there is one Roma with him and one without him. Each of us has three lives – one in public, one in private and one in secret – we leave him to two of those as he wants, provided that he works in training.
“Last year he played 28 games at a very high level, he has often had to take painkillers, played in dire conditions, but wanted to do it for the team.
“I’m talking about a champion in action, treat him with the dignity that he deserves. He is fine, he played against Colombia and put in a major performance.”