After a conversation between Luciano Spalletti and Roma supporters last month was made public, the Inter boss has responded by insisting he said nothing untoward.
Following the Nerazzurri’s 1-1 draw at home to his former club on January 21, Spalletti reportedly discussed a wide variety of matters with supporters of his former club outside the stadium and a Milanese restaurant.
According to Corriere della Sera, among the noteworthy quotes attributed to Spalletti were calling Inter ‘a step away from madness like Roma’ and a ‘depressed environment’, citing a player revolt as the reason he dropped Francesco Totti towards the end of his career and criticising James Pallotta for selling his best players.
“You know me, if fans come to me and are polite and mannerly then I’ll talk to them without any problem. That evening, I met them outside the ramp at the San Siro, at a restaurant and even outside my house,” Spalletti said when clarifying the story.
“I don’t remember exactly what I said but if we are now placing quotation marks around something that wasn’t said in an official context, then there can be problems.
“Corriere are all professionals but I don’t know the journalist from Turin who wrote this story. I’m a little bit surprised by it but it is something I’ll take note of going forward.
“I don’t think I said anything in particular or anything bad and perhaps there is a willingness to attack me and use words in a certain way to do that.”
On the alleged criticism of his current club, the Biscione tactician did not deny the comments attributed to him and attempted to explain what he meant by his ‘depressed environment’ comment.
“The depressed environment is something we want to avoid, [it was said] because we want to avoid the mistakes of the past,” he added. “In one way, I suppose it is right because I have to find a way of raising the team.”
