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War of words re-erupts between Inter and Roma
Posted - 16th February 2008
At the start of this season there were a couple of high-profile spats between Inter-Milan coach Roberto Mancini and his opposite number at AS Roma, Luciano Spalletti. This week, as both teams feel the pressure - albeit for different motives - the bitching, for want of a more refined term, has returned.
It started with a press conference , when Gabriele 'Lele' Oriali (former 'incontrista' with the scudetto winning Inter teams of 1971 and 1980), a member of the backroom staff at Inter responded to the repeated accusations of bias from referees in favour of Inter. "It's not our fault if Roma lose 3-0 at Siena," he remarked somewhat disengenously, given that the same weekend Inter won 1-0 against Empoli with a dubious penalty awarded.
Roma's coach, pushed by the Press to respond, dissapointed no-one."When you're at the top of the table, it's a bit like being in the mountains. You start to lose oxygen, and the ability to reason clearly," he told reporters before continuing, "whoever holds an important position in the table, in first position like them, should be calm. At the most, it should be the others who are nervous. I think Oriali missed a perfect opportunity to shut up".
Inter currently lead the table with 56 points, with Roma trailing behind them, in second place at 48. Spalletti's team have a daunting match this weekend, as they face Juventus who are hot on their heels at 44 points. The weekend's game may ultimately decide who takes second place in this year's championship.
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