Spalletti is venomous: "Acerbi? One day he'll explain to me". And on Mancini's 'like': "They stole his phone, I couldn't think otherwise"

Luciano Spalletti has a concentrated face and sharp words on the eve of the challenge that could decide Italy's destiny towards the next World Cup. Interviewed by Sky Sport before the match against Norway, the Italian coach does not hide, neither in front of the pressure of the moment nor in front of the still unresolved issues with Francesco Acerbi. “One day he will explain to me where I disrespected him, and I will tell him what I think of the respect he had for me and for the national team”, Spalletti said bluntly.

Then a poisonous joke also on Roberto Mancini's social like on a tweet criticizing him: "His phone was stolen, someone is using it to give him likes and make him look like he's enjoying other people's problems. It happens a lot now, I couldn't think otherwise." But beyond the personal differences and the media skirmishes, the coach's goal remains one: to take Italy to the World Cup.

"It's a game that can open the doors to a dream. There's tension, but that's right, we're happy to play challenges like this", said Spalletti, who also calmly commented on Kean's forced absence: “No one is leaving the retreat, we are 21 and finally I won't have to send anyone to the stands”.

In defense, with emergency underway, Spalletti he already has clear ideas: Bastoni can move, but the alternatives are called Coppola and Rugani. Precisely on the former Juve defender and coming off an excellent season with Farioli, the coach revealed a behind the scenes story: “I have been following him for a long time, Farioli spoke highly of him and I know that his dream was to return to the national team. Now he has his chance”.