Roma Coach Luciano Spalletti confirms Antonio Rudiger is “available” for Sassuolo and criticises the media.
The German centre-back ruptured his cruciate ligament before Euro 2016, and as such hasn’t played all season.
“Mario Rui still has time, and [Thomas] Vermaelen still has steps to climb on the ladder,” Spalletti began his pre-match Press conference by saying.
Roma Coach Luciano Spalletti confirms Antonio Rudiger is “available” for Sassuolo and criticises the media.
The German centre-back ruptured his cruciate ligament before Euro 2016, and as such hasn’t played all season.
“Mario Rui still has time, and [Thomas] Vermaelen still has steps to climb on the ladder,” Spalletti began his pre-match Press conference by saying.
“Everything is going well, Moustapha Seck will be back in a week and we’ll have him available for Bologna, Rudiger is with us and doctor Del Vescovo has said he’s available.
“We’re close. He’s fit, he’s like a lion cub now. He doesn’t have 90 minutes in him, but he’s in the cage and he’s raring to go.
“He won’t play from the beginning tomorrow, because it’s risky. Tomorrow he won’t play from the start.”
Before opening the floor to questions, Spalletti addressed a viral video of him banging his head off the desk in response to a question after the Palermo match, then going on to demand an apology from a journalist for stating that he’d dropped Alessandro Florenzi, who had been injured.
“There’s another explanation to be made. Bringing up freedom of the Press in response to what happened… I was accused of certain things [not respecting Press freedom] but these were only personal interpretations.
“If you want, I’ll be even more direct.
“When [Stephan] El Shaarawy came I read headlines like ‘what use will il Faraone be?’. I’ve seen bad and good games, and you write ‘bye-bye [Edin] Dzeko’.
“[Radja] Nainggolan says he hopes the stadium will be full, then I read that he has taken on Roma fans. Or ‘Totti purges Spalletti’. The news is that he won for Roma, not that he purged me.
“These are personal interpretations of the facts. Anyone who impinges on freedom of the Press will be in trouble with me, it has to be total. You can begin the conference.
“Today I’ve been more clear. If Roma win, then write ‘Roma won’. There have been personal interpretations on a few things."
There then followed an exchange with a journalist from Corriere dello Sport, who asked about the incident.
"I won't go back to it, you can come back to it after the game. I listen to those who say 'Forza Roma'."
The journalist pointed out that their job doesn't allow that.
"Say it with me: 'Forza Roma!'."