Gigi Del Neri is “mortified” that a draw with his Atalanta side cost Claudio Ranieri the job at Juventus.
It was the 2-2 result in Turin on Sunday that proved the final straw for the Bianconeri directors, who fired Ranieri the next day and appointed Ciro Ferrara.
“Coaches have a cruel destiny. When things go badly, they are the only ones who end up on trial in a kangaroo court,” said Del Neri.
“Clubs fire them to shake up the team, or at least so they say. I am mortified that Claudio has gone this way and anyone who knows football will tell you he laid foundations that will leave their mark.”
Del Neri knows all about the pain of dismissal, as he was famously sacked by Porto before the 2004-05 season had even started.
He won’t have the same fate at Atalanta, because the tactician has already announced he will leave at the end of this term.
“If we win our remaining two games, then we will end up on a creditable 52 points, but we won’t think about that. We deserved to win against Genoa and Juve, so really we ought to have another four points.
“We play Palermo, who are a very strong side, but we have the home advantage. As for Inter in the final round, we can try to repeat that historic victory we had this season.”
Earlier this term Atalanta thrashed the Scudetto winners 3-1 in Bergamo and Del Neri is eyeing the double.
“They’ll still be celebrating the Scudetto, so hopefully we’ll catch them drunk on success.”
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