Marco Tardelli says “there have been mistakes on both sides” between Roma and Francesco Totti.
The Giallorossi legend wasn’t called-up for yesterday’s 5-0 win over Palermo, after going public with concerns over his future with the Lupi.
The captain will turn 40 in September, and it appears the club are reluctant to offer him a deal to continue as a player, while Coach Luciano Spalletti has hardly used him since returning to Stadio Olimpico.
Marco Tardelli says “there have been mistakes on both sides” between Roma and Francesco Totti.
The Giallorossi legend wasn’t called-up for yesterday’s 5-0 win over Palermo, after going public with concerns over his future with the Lupi.
The captain will turn 40 in September, and it appears the club are reluctant to offer him a deal to continue as a player, while Coach Luciano Spalletti has hardly used him since returning to Stadio Olimpico.
“I don’t know the situation well, but I think there have been mistakes on both sides,” Tardelli told Sky after being inducted into the Italian football Hall of Fame.
“He [Totti] is a joy for Italian football, and one that must keep representing Roma around the world.
“Spalletti was correct for his part, but he has to find a role for him going forward, because we don’t want to see what happened with [Alessandro] Del Piero [at Juventus], [Paolo] Maldini [at Milan] or [Giancarlo] Antognoni [at Fiorentina] and not have him be part of the club.
“I think there’s all the time to heal the rift. I think Totti and Spalletti will have to talk, maybe with an intervention from the club.
“A champion should never be let go. You have to hold tight to them, and forget talking to them like a footballer, talk like they’re a son or a brother.
“Totti has to end his career at Roma, but at the same time play an important role in the future.”