Totti readies for Roma swansong
SERIE A With fight on for a secondplace finish against Napoli, Spalletti says Totti won’t start
Roma coach Luciano Spalletti said securing a win, and not giving Francesco Totti a full game on his swansong, remains the priority in their final match of the season at home to Genoa.
A sold-out Stadio Olimpico is set to bid farewell to iconic club captain Totti, 40, when he brings his 25-season career with Roma to an end on Sunday. But with second spot up for grabs in Serie A, and third-placed Napoli only a point behind before they travel to Sampdoria, Spalletti said Totti’s needs come second.
As he has done for most of this season, Spalletti is set to start Totti on the bench and give the club legend a substitute’s appearance in the second half.
“The biggest threat for us tomorrow are the distractions caused by the game,” Spalletti told media on Saturday. “What kind of party will it be if we don’t get the three points? We have to think about winning first and foremost.”
A second-place finish will guarantee Roma a place in the group stages of next season’s Champions League, but would represent their ninth runners-up spot since winning the Serie A title for the last time, in 2001.
But Spalletti, who has been linked to the vacant coach’s position at Inter Milan following the recent sacking of Stefano Pioli, said he won’t rain on Totti’s parade. “He will play a good portion of the game, the most important part,” he added.
Before Sunday’s outing, Totti has racked up 784 appearances for Roma, 618 of which have been in Serie A. Although Roma won only one of their three league titles in Totti’s time at the club, he has scored 307 goals for Roma, 250 of which came in Serie A.
MONACO’S SILVA TO JOIN MAN CITY
MANCHESTER: Portuguese playmaker Bernardo Silva is to join Manchester City from French champions Monaco on July 1, the English Premier League club announced on Friday.
Silva’s arrival is the first highprofile signing by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola ahead of the 2017/18 campaign.
City gave no indication of the length of Silva’s contract nor did they specify a fee, although British media reports suggested they had paid around £43 million ($55 million, 49 million euros) for the 22-year-old. Manchester United were also said to be interested in signing Silva but it was the Etihad Stadium club he opted for after flying into Manchester Airport on Thursday.
“It feels great. To be honest I’m now at one of the best teams in the world. To be part of this club and to have this opportunity is great,” Silva told City’s website. “I’m very happy to be part of Manchester City’s team and I look forward to trying to do my best to help the team reach their goals.
“Of course when you have the opportunity of being trained by Guardiola, you don’t say no. If not the best coach in the world, he is one of the best.
“As we all know, what he did in Barcelona and Bayern Munich was amazing and we expect also here that he will win titles. It’s great to be working with him and to have this opportunity.”