Del Piero Totti, the controversy against football clubs: “Lawyers can’t handle them”

Two flags imprinted in the hearts of their respective fans, but for years out of the clubs to which they have chosen to swear eternal loyalty. It is the paradox of Francesco Totti and Alex Del Piero, respectively symbols of the Roma and Juventus people who today participated in the talk “10+10 SKY 20 years”, together with Federico Ferri. “Our careers have been parallel and have had many things in common – explained Del Piero – over time, rather than a rivalry, a complicity has been created. Even without talking to each other much, an affection was born between us for what the other was carrying on. They often pitted against us, but we found ourselves laughing about it, especially thanks to Francesco.”

DEL PIERO

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The historic Juventus captain then spoke of the “second life” that former footballers find themselves facing at the end of their careers and of the precious contribution that veterans like Totti could still give to the club they had chosen to join forever: “I think that when a footballer leaves the activity, if he doesn’t prepare beforehand, he is not ready to start a second life. We reflect on what has been done, on the mistakes, on how to improve and then we decide. It’s a journey that can be 6 months or 10 years, but once you’ve made the decision, you’re willing to participate in everything. Not to decide on everything, but a figure like his (Totti, ed) had to be involved in everything. He represents Roma, he has the responsibility of knowing everything, otherwise he cannot be in the best position to defend the colors, to support the club’s decision and to create a team ”. And in this sense, the most striking example seems to have been that of Paolo Maldini with Milan: “He proved to be a winner as a manager: one of the keys to Milan’s success last year was certainly his presence, he within a team. Today football is not like when we started, it needs many more people, a different organization and therefore we need to put the pieces in the right place. Maldini has also proved to be a winner as a manager. I’m very sorry for Paolo, because when I think of Milan I think of him.”

TOTTI

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The words of Francesco Totti were also melancholy, as he recalled the moment of his farewell to football: “You’re never ready for a day like this, but there is a beginning and there is an end. People’s faces, from children to adults you’ve seen growing up, touch you. It means that in all those years I always did what people wanted me to do. The fans gave me the strength, the push to go all the way. I didn’t know what I wanted to do after saying goodbye to football. Now I hope to find something else that excites me and makes me feel good. After making the transition from player to manager, I realized I was cumbersome, because I didn’t have the possibility to express my opinion”. And it is precisely speaking of his experience in society – at the time of president Pallotta – that Totti’s tone becomes even harsher: “It wasn’t easy to leave Rome, but I’ve been thinking about it for months. I had no credibility, I wasn’t part of the project, I was the mascot, I was Totti. It wasn’t enough for me. I thought you could be a resource, maybe I wasn’t ready or maybe they didn’t let me sit in the center of the table. But when there was a problem I was ready to step in. I would have preferred to die than say goodbye, I never thought I’d be able to leave Rome on my own initiative, it was my first family.” A speech that obviously also concerns his friend Del Piero: “The problem with football is that in clubs there must be players, those who understand football and not – with all due respect – the lawyers and accountants who think they know how to stay in a club. A flag, a player, a boy like Ale who gave Juventus for 20 years, I think it is right that he be at Juventus, not only for him but for the club, for the people, for what he has done, for the football ability he has. Who better than him knows how to move in the locker room, how to choose players for the current team?”.