Luciano Spalletti speaks again less than a month before the start of the European Championships in Germany. In an interview given to Corriere della Sera the national team coach launches a jab at De Laurentiis and reveals a backstory about Totti.
Euro 2024: Spalletti, the dimension of Italy and Scamacca
The coach has no doubts: “The national team shirt is the most beautiful and most important in the world, the first skin for a footballer.” And this is why it must be worn “with pride and conviction. With dignity and humanity.” Can the national team compete with big names like France, England and Germany? “We have to do it but we still have to work on it. What we have shown so far is not enough” says the technician from Certaldo to CorSera. So a ride up Scamaccacriticized by Spalletti for the abuse of PlayStation in the Italian training camp and reborn in this season finale with theAtalanta. “The credit goes to Gasperini: if in some way I have urged him to have a reaction I am happy, this is my aim. Technology is important but must be contextualized. We need to stay connected to each other, even in downtime.”
Spalletti and Napoli: the attack on De Laurentiis
From the championship to the shipwreck. A year ago Naples celebrated their third scudetto of his history with Spalletti at the helm, today he is called to a profound revolution after a disastrous season. “Three coaches generally don’t change even in five years. How can you assimilate so many things from men who have different methods and characters in just a few months – he comments -. Players sometimes need to be comforted, convinced that they are strong. Just a little is enough to demotivate you. Young guys like Zirkzee, Kvara for example they must be cultivated, defended and supported every day”. Di Lorenzo, Raspadori and Meret will they be called? “I evaluate the whole thing, not the season or the last few months.”
The background on Totti: the injury, the quarrel and the embrace of peace
We talk about the group, about the unity of the locker room. And Spalletti recalls an episode that occurred at the time of Rome: “In front of the locker room there is a virtual piggy bank where everyone puts what they have and can give: this is how you win, this is how relationships are born. I remember Totti’s happy face, when I was at Roma and with the whole team we went to him in hospital.” When asked about the dispute, the coach responds in this way: “When we saw each other again after years, we hugged. I look people in the eyes, in their posture. I assure you we have found each other again, the foundations of our relationship are strong.” Totti himself, together with other great 10 players from the past, will stop in Coverciano to charge the Azzurri. They will be there too Baggio, Antognoni and Del Piero. “And add to that Rivera, I do it for me. He is the 10 of my time. They will give us their experience, they will tell us about their trophies. They will stimulate us.”
