Ranieri refuses to be drawn in Mourinho spat

(GSM) – Roma coach Claudio Ranieri refused to be drawn into a spat with Jose Mourinho, after being mocked by the Internazionale coach.

Ranieri, whose team stayed alive in the Scudetto hunt on Sunday with a 2-1 victory over Cagliari, was on the receiving end of criticism from Mourinho before the game.

The Inter coach criticised Ranieri for showing his players the film Gladiator before the two teams clashed in the Coppa Italia final in midweek.

While, Inter won 4-3 on Sunday against Chievo to remain two points clear of the Romans heading into the final week in Serie A, Ranieri clearly chose not to ‘add more fuel to fire’ during the post-match interview after the game.

“I respect myself and others,” Ranieri said after the game.

“Evidently, he (Mourinho) doesn’t have that gift. He (Mourinho) is a great coach and a great motivator. It’s better not to add any fuel to the fire.”

On being asked which film Ranieri planned to show his players ahead of Roma’s season finale at Chievo, the coach said: “Donald Duck.”

Ranieri praised his side’s determination against Cagliari with two late goals from Francesco Totti giving the Romans a 23rd victory of the campaign. Totti was sent off in the Coppa Italia defeat to Inter last week.

“I told Totti to give the fans some entertainment and to let people talk about his goals and his play,” Ranieri said.

If Roma can win their last game in Verona on Sunday and Inter fall to Siena in Tuscany, then the Romans will win their first league title since 2001.

“We will battle until the end,” Ranier said. “We face a stratospheric rival in the scudetto race but we have played an almost perfect campaign.

“I want my team to fight until the end and we will try to get a result at Chievo, a team that has been playing well.”