Totti’s epic Roma career ends today
Ageing superstar hints at playing on, saying he will soon be on the lookout for ‘new challenge’
>> ROME: Francesco Totti has finally announced that today’s match against Genoa will be his last with Roma after an incredible 25-season career with his hometown club.
Whether the 40-year-old Totti will continue playing with another squad remains anyone’s guess.
The 2006 World Cup winner opened his future to questions by releasing a carefully worded statement on Thursday.
“Roma-Genoa, Sunday 28th May 2017. The last time I can wear Roma’s jersey,” Totti said. “I can’t tell you in a few words how much these colours meant, mean and will always mean to me.
“I just feel that my love for football never fades; it’s a passion, my passion. It’s so deep I can’t imagine not fuelling it any longer. Ever. From Monday [tomorrow] I’m ready to go again. I’m ready for a new challenge,” Totti added.
The first part of Totti’s statement inferred that it wasn’t his decision to end his Roma career but that of the club, by not offering him a contract for next season.
Totti has not hidden his difficult relationship with Roma coach Luciano Spalletti, who has used Totti mainly as a last-option substitute.
However, Spalletti is widely expected to follow former Roma sporting director Walter Sabatini to Inter Milan; while Sassuolo coach Eusebio Di Francesco, a former teammate of Totti’s, could move to Roma.
The second part of Totti’s statement, when he mentioned a “new challenge”, inferred that Totti is considering ending his career with another club.
Miami FC, who play in the secondtier NASL and are managed by Totti’s former teammate with the national team, Alessandro Nesta, and coowned by Paolo Maldini — another former Italy teammate — appears to be the most attractive option.
James Pallotta, Roma’s American owner, has offered Totti an unspecified management position.
As for today, Totti is not expected to start.
While the match at the Stadio Olimpico was sold out for Totti’s goodbye, Roma enter the final match of the season still looking to seal second place in Serie A and a direct berth into the Champions League.
Roma are one point ahead of third-place Napoli, who will play at Sampdoria.
Totti has appeared in 785 matches in all competitions with Roma, third all-time in Italy for most games with a single club behind only Maldini (902 with AC Milan) and Javier Zanetti (858 with Inter Milan).
Totti is also second all-time in goals scored in Serie A with 250, 24 short of the record that Silvio Piola established from 1929-54. No other active player has more than 200.
Meanwhile, Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri set aside speculation about his future on Friday and said he will remain with the Serie A champions next season.
“I want to stay. But we need to talk about it and meet,” Allegri said. “I’ve already made my choice and when the club thinks the time is right we’ll meet. But we certainly won’t do it this week. We’re focused on Cardiff.”
After winning a record sixth straight Serie A title last weekend, Juventus are preparing to face Real Madrid in the Champions League final in Cardiff on June 3.
Allegri’s contract with Juventus expires after next season.
Since replacing Antonio Conte three years ago, Allegri has guided Juventus to three Serie A titles, three Italian Cups and two Champions League finals.
“Winning in Cardiff would be the coronation of all the work we’ve done over the last three years,” Allegri said. “We’ve got to focus on this world event, which is comparable to the Super Bowl in terms of media coverage.”