Luciano Spalletti admits “I don’t know if” Roma–Genoa on Sunday “really will be Francesco Totti’s farewell.”
The game at the Olimpico sold out weeks in advance, with many fans under the impression that it would be Totti’s curtain call before he retired, but Spalletti insisted the veteran had yet to disclose his plans.
Luciano Spalletti admits “I don’t know if” Roma-Genoa on Sunday “really will be Francesco Totti’s farewell.”
The game at the Olimpico sold out weeks in advance, with many fans under the impression that it would be Totti’s curtain call before he retired, but Spalletti insisted the veteran had yet to disclose his plans.
“There’s no other thought than Roma-Genoa now, and I don’t know if it really will be Totti’s farewell,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport at a memorial for ex-Arsenal defender Niccolo Galli, alongside Fiorentina’s Federico Chiesa.
“He must say what he plans to do and I don’t know what he’s thinking.
“Certainly, during the game, he’ll have the opportunity to help his teammates win for a Champions League [group-stage] spot.
“Finishing ahead of Napoli, who were second last season, would mean we’ve made some progress.
“Also, because Juventus haven’t given their opponents any room since Allegri, they deserve to play in the Champions League Final and win the title.
“Chiesa? I’ll happily talk about him. With Ancelotti, I highlighted how grounded he was and a credit to his family.
“He’s a good lad with his head screwed on, who only tries to talk about himself through his qualities. He’s strong and he’ll become a great champion.
“Me becoming Fiorentina’s Coach? I repeat, I’m only thinking about Roma-Genoa, we must be fully focused this week as it means a great deal for us.
“Fiorentina are beautiful. They’ve had a good campaign. They’ve dropped points in a few too many games like we have, but they have all the ingredients to go forward.
“A full Olimpico will give us the thrust that we’ve often had in these 18 months, knowing that the stadium will be full of feeling, which will let us develop our qualities to win the game.”