Roma are fed up – Spalletti hits back amid penalty controversy

Luciano Spalletti says his Roma side are not receiving the credit they deserve, accusing the media of focusing on “little incidents” following Sunday’s 3-1 win over Inter. 

Roma were largely dominant at San Siro with Radja Nainggolan scoring twice and Diego Perotti sealing the win with a penalty after Mauro Icardi had pulled a goal back.

The capital club have been awarded more spot-kicks that any side in Serie A this season, while there was a suggestion of a foul in the build-up to Nainggolan’s second goal, with both points raised to Spaletti after the match.

But the Roma coach was scathing of the attention those incidents received and insists his team were worthy winners in Milan.

“I don’t know what people are looking for,” he told Mediaset Premium. “Roma won deservedly. People seek all these little incidents and I do not see any foul that Nainggolan made on [Roberto] Gagliardini – he jumped at the wrong time.
 
“What interests me is the performance and that shows Roma deserved to win, there is absolutely no doubt about it. All week people have been dragging out pundits and ex-Inter players to talk about penalties. We’re fed up.

“Last year, I had one penalty in 19 games, but I never compared with the records of the other teams. We won anyway.

“Inter tried to create all this controversy throughout the week and lay the groundwork. Penalties are not automatically points.

“Inter are a great team, you just have to look at their players. They play good football and showed strong mentality. That’s all fine. They can lose.

“Roma played well and did not rob anyone of anything.”

Match-winner Nainggolan, meanwhile, was keen to credit his team-mates for his own fine form that has seen him score in four consecutive league matches.

“We are proving that we deserve to be where we are,” he added. “We won against a great team and it was fully deserved.

“I do what the coach asks of me. I do well because I have a team working with me. Without the team, I am nobody.”