Roma legend Francesco Totti admits that he also made mistakes in his relationship with Luciano Spalletti during their time at Roma. The pair famously fell out during their time with the Giallorossi, eventually marking the end of Spalletti’s time with the Giallorossi in 2017. Speaking with Il Corriere dello Sport, Totti spoke about his former coach and why he still holds affection for the now Azzurri boss:
“Spalletti? He has shown, again, that he is a great coach. If I met him I would greet him with affection, I would be pleased. I believe there is a deep bond between us. Also because what we spent together, when he arrived from Udine, is for me, in my life, something unrepeatable. Both on the pitch and in everyday life. I used to go out once or twice a week with him for dinner. Luciano was a pleasant, funny, sincere person. In the final phase, our relationship was conditioned from the outside, especially by the directors or consultants of the club, and we no longer understood each other. I too have made mistakes, of course. I believe that both of us, if we went back, would no longer be in conflict’.
On the split with Ilary: ‘The two of us have spent twenty years together, with many beautiful moments. Now I would just like us to find a balance between us capable of protecting the boys who are the greatest reason, for both of us, for love. I know it is not easy, but what has been between us, for so many years, has been important. If the two of us find this balance, the boys will be fine and feel protected.”
“Would I join Mourinho at Roma? Of course, with a defined role, I’d like that, for the reasons I said before. And I’d like it with Mourinho, he’s number one, I respect him a lot. I regret not having been coached by him in my career. But I don’t want to go back to that. I don’t want to ask. At Roma they know that if they need me, for serious things, I’m happy to lend a hand.”
“I spent 30 years at Roma. I brought respect to everyone, turned down other offers without making it a big deal. I said no to Real Madrid and others because I wanted that jersey, only that yellow and red jersey that is printed inside me. The way my story with Roma ended, yes, I was sorry. The truth is that when you’re no longer needed in football there’s no respect. If Maldini, Del Piero, Baggio and I are out of football it means something, doesn’t it?”.
“What do I miss about football? Everything. The training camp, the locker room, the shirt, the massage room. Bullshit? No, they were my life. I miss the bar and coffee with my teammates, the bus ride from Trigoria to the stadium. I miss the routine that made up my life for decades. When it ended the days became empty. Afterwards I felt lonely. But it fits. It was the end of something I liked, which was my life. But I didn’t think it hurt so much to stop that planned life, that passion that in my mind I could continue living. I didn’t accept the separation from football.”
