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Francesco Totti must make decision on Roma future, says Luciano Spalletti

Francesco Totti of Roma looks on during the Serie A match
Image: Francesco Totti: Asked to make a career decision by Luciano Spalletti

Luciano Spalletti says Roma legend Francesco Totti must decide whether to wind his career down at the end of this season and take up a coaching role, or carry on playing.

Despite winning only one league title with Roma, in 2001, Totti has been a virtual 'untouchable' at the club where he has spent his entire career, but he has been left at a career crossroads after a highly-publicised spat with coach Spalletti that has divided Italian football.

Spalletti, in his second spell at the capital club, excluded Totti from his squad to face Palermo at the weekend after the player demanded more "respect and clarity" in a television interview.

Exiled Roma captain Francesco Totti watched from the stands
Image: Roma captain Totti watched Sunday night's game from the stands

While a barely half-full Stadio Olimpico resonated with songs dedicated to the long-serving 'Re di Roma' (King of Rome) as he sat in the stands on Sunday night, Spalletti put the controversy to one side to see Roma dismantle their league rivals 5-0 which saw the 'Giallorossi' boost their Champions League hopes for next season.

A headline in Rome-based Corriere dello Sport called Totti's exclusion an "Insult to History", while the front page headline on the pink-paged Milan-based Gazzetta dello Sport screamed "The Exile of the King of Rome".

AS Roma head coach Luciano Spalletti
Image: Spalletti has offered Totti various positions at the club

Now in his 23rd season with the Serie A side, the 39-year-old Totti has been urged to decide whether to play on, or take up a coaching role that, reports say, he has already secured.

Spalletti revealed he had offered Totti various positions at the club, but it was now time to make a decision.

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"I have already spoken to Totti about possible roles but it's up to him to decide, not me," said Spalletti.

Manchester United's Dutch manager Louis van Gaal (L) and Manchester United's Welsh assistant manager Ryan Giggs
Image: Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal (left) and assistant Ryan Giggs

Totti was offered an assistant manager's position like Manchester United great Ryan Giggs, as well as a more executive position like the one held by Pavel Nedved at Juventus.

"I asked him, do you want to be like Giggs? Do you want to be like Nedved?"

But the 56-year-old added: "Do you want to stay a footballer? Okay fine, but you have to know you won't get any favours from me!"

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