Roma coach Luciano Spalletti remained defiant on the thorny issue of captain Francesco Totti after the out-of-favour club captain provided his first assist of the season in a frustrating 1-1 draw with Bologna on Monday. Totti's future after 23 seasons at the club is a hot topic in Italy as the Serie A giants stall on offering the 39-year-old an extra year's contract.
Spalletti declared: "I've always had Totti available, and when I feel he can give me something then he plays, as happened tonight. He strengthened the team and gave the fans a little boost." Totti has made only a handful of appearances this season, mainly because of injury.
AFP