Francesco Totti’s autobiography reflects on his quarrel with Luciano Spalletti at Roma, including being sent away from Trigoria in 2016.
The Giallorossi legend had a difficult relationship with the Coach during his second spell, feeling that he was pushed into retirement.
In his book ‘Un Capitano’, which was released today, Er Pupone describes a confrontation in the dressing room after a comeback against Torino in which he scored twice.
Francesco Totti’s autobiography reflects on his quarrel with Luciano Spalletti at Roma, including being sent away from Trigoria in 2016.
The Giallorossi legend had a difficult relationship with the Coach during his second spell, feeling that he was pushed into retirement.
In his book ‘Un Capitano’, which was released today, Er Pupone describes a confrontation in the dressing room after a comeback against Torino in which he scored twice.
“When the last of us came in he closed the door behind him, slamming it, and started screaming,” Totti writes.
“My locker is furthest from the entrance, I’m next to [Daniele] De Rossi and [Alessandro] Florenzi, hunched over my shoelaces.
“I don’t notice the sudden silence… when I raise my head I find Spalletti’s face one centimetre from mine, waiting for me: ‘Enough, you’ve broken my balls, you pretend to command but you should just leave, you play card games despite my ban, I’m done with you’.
“This was all shouted at maximum volume. It was the last argument between me and Spalletti, in the sense that I lost it too and four people had to separate us. From then on it [the relationship] was all closed.
“Then, recovering his calm, he went to the Press room and said that even if I’d scored the credit for the comeback belonged to the squad.”
Totti gave an interview to TG1 in December 2016 in which he said he felt disrespected, and he was banished from the training ground by Spalletti.
“He said ‘enough, it’s pointless going on, you don’t understand. You were wrong, now go home’. It was the most humiliating punishment, being sent away from Trigoria. Me. Chased out of my home.
“I was shaking with rage: ‘fine, I accept this punishment. We’ll see if you or I pay the consequences’.
“Spalletti: ‘Are you threatening me?’. Totti: ‘You know that the Roma fans are on my side, I’ve only said good things about you and yet you want to chase me out. Take your responsibility’.
“Spalletti said: ‘now you’re like the others, forget about when you were irreplaceable’.
“Totti: ’Coward, so now you don’t need me anymore you bust my balls, eh? You came here on a mission, finish it!’.”