Daniele De Rossi explains touchline row with manager Giampiero Ventura
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Updated 14/11/2017 at 10:27 GMT
Daniele De Rossi has explained that his touchline row with Giampiero Ventura, in Italy’s failed effort to reach the World Cup, was because he wanted the manager to bring on more strikers.
Daniele De Rossi of Italy inspect the pitch prior to the FIFA 2018 World Cup Qualifier Play-Off: Second Leg between Italy and Sweden at San Siro Stadium on November 13, 2017 in Milan, Sweden.
Image credit: Getty Images
The Azzurri were chasing a goal in Milan after their 1-0 first-leg play-off defeat in Stockholm, and Ventura asked Roma’s defensive midfielder to warm up, leaving the in-form forward Lorenzo Insigne on the bench.
But De Rossi, who was filmed arguing, is reported to have said: “Why the hell should I go on? We don't need to draw here, we need to win!"
The match ended 0-0, with Italy failing to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 60 years, and De Rossi explained to Rai Sport afterwards: "We have this tendency to warm up three at a time, then after five minutes we change and another three go.”
"I just said we were near the end and had to win, so send the strikers to warm up. I pointed to Insigne too.
It wasn't up to me whether it was a tactical issue. I'm sorry if I offended anyone. At the time I just thought perhaps it was better that Insigne come on instead.
De Rossi, who retired from the national team along with Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli after the match, added: "We will begin again, just as we did after other desperately disappointing moments.
"I don't believe we deserved to go out considering the 180 minutes, Sweden deserve credit for their performance, but it was fairly even.
"Now the next generation is ready to take flight and we must begin again from them. It was almost an absurd moment to associate with a football match. There was a funereal atmosphere in the locker room, yet nobody died.
"I've been wandering around Coverciano and all over the world with this jersey for over a decade, so to take it off for the last time is a strange feeling."
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