Totti tirade makes Mancini spit his dummy... again
Wednesday 16 April 2008 11:10
He has been quiet for a number of weeks but Roberto Mancini is not a man to be silenced for long.
In truth it doesn’t take much to get him started and so when he was asked to comment on Francesco Totti getting away with nothing more than a 1000 euro fine for telling the referee not once but three times “where to go” he couldn’t wait to get torn into the foul-mouthed pup.
“He should have been sent-off,” stated a stony-faced Mancio. “If Antonio Cassano had been in his place and acted the same way, he would have received at least a five-match ban - end of story.”
Rarely does a week go by without a Roberto Mancini whinge
Well, of course, it wasn’t but it was certainly mission accomplished.
AS Roma had been hoping the matter would blow over after Luciano Spalletti basically got down on his knees and begged for leniency for his captain.
Totti had spat his foul tirade at Nicola Rizzoli after he felt the official had been man-marking him when he blazed a shot over bar from inside the area during Roma’s game at Udinese on Sunday.
The Giallorossi were trailing 1-0 at the time and certainly tensions were running high in the Roman camp with goalkeeper Alexander Doni and, a man who could start an argument with his own shadow, Christian Panucci having a heated discussion on who was to blame for the home side’s goal.
Even with the referee in close proximity, a player of Totti’s quality should have buried the chance but someone had to be blamed and why not the timid-looking man in black.
A trembling Rizzoli finally produced a yellow card leaving everyone apart from the rose-tinted wearing Romans to call foul.
Udinese coach Pasquale Marino told Tuttosport: “It’s a pity people try and sweep this incident under the carpet.”
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Atalanta boss Luigi Del Neri complained that there were two different sets of rules for “the haves and have-nots” and that his side were very much the latter claiming his men had the most red cards from the least fouls.
Totti in action against Udinese before the ref got in the way
Of course, Totti is an angel in the capital and the Roman-based Corriere dello Sport produced a handy breakdown of all the times Inter players had berated officials while Roma legend and current club sporting director Bruno Conti basically told Mancini he should have a look in the mirror before making opening his mouth about discipline on the pitch.
And what of poor old Signore Rizzoli? Well, damned if you do, damned if don’t it would seem.
Having failed to follow the letter of the law, he is set for a ban of his own and possibly asked to hand in his whistle for the remainder of the season.
Totti, for his part, will be back on the pitch at the weekend and with the title race still very much on the boil maybe he will let his football do the talking from now on.
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About Richard Whittle
Despite the name,
Richard Whittle is so at home in Italy that some call him Riccardo Rossi. He has lived and worked in Italy for the last 15 years as a football journalist and works as Italian soccer commentator for the English-speaking world covering Serie A, Champions League, Europa League and Italian Cup matches as well as Italy internationals. With Paul Visca, Richard concocts the regular
Calcio & Coffee podcast.