Lecce Coach Serse Cosmi insists he “was expecting to see such a bad Italy performance” against Russia because of the betting scandal.
Lecce Coach Serse Cosmi insists he “was expecting to see such a bad Italy performance” against Russia because of the betting scandal.
The team struggled to focus after Domenico Criscito’s room at the training camp was subjected to a dawn raid on Monday by police serving him with a notice of investigation.
“In all honesty, I was expecting to see such a bad Italy performance,” he said of the 3-0 defeat to Russia.
“Recent events really put too much pressure on the Azzurri. Besides, you can’t prepare for a tournament with three friendlies over an eight-month period.
“I have great respect for Cesare Prandelli and we have a strong rapport, but he was kinder than I would’ve been in describing those figures who make our football dirty,” Cosmi told TMW.
“Prandelli called them ‘a bunch of losers,’ but that was not the right term. These people did enormous damage to football, their families and themselves.
“The biggest punishment will not be prison sentences, but the remorse for what they have done.”