As Roma meet desperate Livorno on Saturday, Luciano Spalletti admits time is running out for the Scudetto.
Although the gap is still just four points, leaders Inter have picked up the pace again after last month’s slump.
“We will continue to work and to believe, but if Inter keep this tempo then it will all be futile,” conceded the Coach.
The two clubs have been at loggerheads this week over more controversy stirred up by Francesco Totti’s lenient yellow card for swearing at referee Roberto Rizzoli.
When Roberto Mancini and Roma director Bruno Conti exchanged barbed comments with the Inter boss calling him “rude,” Spalletti opted to take a lighter approach.
“Is Conti rude? I don’t think so, he always says ‘Good morning’ and is impeccably groomed,” joked the tactician.
“This controversy doesn’t cause us any problems. The team always acts the right way. Totti immediately apologised, as he knows he made a mistake and I am proud to see he has not reacted to all the chaos that was stirred up around this incident.”
Rizzoli has been suspended by the AIA (Referees Association) for not red carding Totti when clearly insulted three times in quick succession during Roma’s 3-1 win at Udinese last week.
Although there is no official word on a ban, his name does not appear in the list of referees assigned to this weekend’s games.
The Giallorossi hope to keep the pressure on Inter by beating Livorno on Saturday afternoon, but Spalletti is not counting his chickens.
“They may seem to be in freefall, but the team has been in a pre-match training camp for a week and the club is breathing down their necks.
“Livorno will give everything against us, just as Torino will with Inter.”
However, Alberto Aquilani is not in the squad after failing to fully recover from an ankle problem.
“He feels pain when he kicks the ball. Yesterday Mirko Vucinic could barely walk, but he’s better today and if he continues to improve then he could be in the squad.”
Roma squad: Antunes, Julio Sergio, Brighi, Cicinho, Curci, De Rossi, Doni, Esposito, Giuly, Juan, Mancini, Mexes, Panucci, Perrotta, Pizarro, Taddei, Tonetto, Totti, Vucinic.
