Francesco Totti has confirmed that he will stay on in the club for five more years until 2014 and he has made himself available for national duty as well.
Just last week, all hell broke loose at AS Roma as Nicola Irti a legal advisor at the Fio Sports Group, the consortium involved in buying out Roma in a radio interview inexplicably turned his wrath on Roma’s talisman saying that Francesco Totti should leave just like Raul at Real Madrid because they were part of the problem that clubs face.
“From Totti too. That’s my opinion. Shoo! He is ruining you! He is ruining you! Just like Real Madrid need to do with Raul, Roma need to get rid of Totti. Is that clear?”
His words brought an emotional outpouring from owner Rossela Sensi, city officials, former players, and thousands of fans.
Sensi’s words referenced Di Stefano:
“Perhaps only the story of Di Stefano to Real Madrid is equal to yours in Rome. You are the symbol of our team and of many Romans. “
The owner of the Fio Sports Group, Vinicio Fioranello distanced himself from Irti’s words saying that only he, his son Jesse, and Volker Flick were authorized to speak.
My feeling is that Irti let of a trial balloon to gauge what effect his words would have. Roma’s valuation has a lot to do with Francesco Totti being a continuing part of the club. Right now there is no concrete offer and the consortium and from Fioranello’s words it seems that they are still feeling their way through.
The imbroglio has Totti already hiring a lawyer Franco Coppi to start legal action against Irti. The lawyer has already obtained a tape of that radio interview.