Luciano Spalletti defended his exaggerated handshake with Massimiliano Allegri after Napoli’s 5-1 win and explained the amusing scene.
The Partenopei put on a dominant display in front of their adoring home fans when they hosted the Bianconeri last week, flying to an important 5-1 win and making a key statement in the title race. After the full time whistle, fans were amused to see Spalletti insist on a handshake with a frustrated Allegri, who was keen to disappear down the tunnel.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, who criticised his actions in yesterday’s columns, Spalletti explained his exaggerated handshake and defended the act.
“Those who know me well know that I was annoyed that he (Allegri, ed.) could leave without saying goodbye.
“At that moment there was no stadium and there were no cameras with millions of people in front of the TV, for me there was me and him who had to say goodbye to each other as I always did, even when I lost.
“Then I realised that as I had this in my head, he could have been thinking something else. It made for a peculiar scene, which, however, when there is a ‘funny guy’ involved, we can also expect. I have never broken anyone’s balls. I have received many insults, but I have never broken anybody’s balls.”
Napoli currently sit top of the Serie A table with 47 points, nine points clear from second place Milan.
Allegri now has more pressing issues than the 5-1 defeat to Napoli; Juventus were handed a 15-point penalty by the FIGC court on Friday for their usage of falsified capital gains, a punishment that saw them drop to 10th in the league table.