Spalletti's trying to win the trophy an outburst at a time

There was a point on Monday night, when Luciano Spalletti was mid-rant, when the thought occurred that the famously awkward Aurelio De Laurentiis might not have been the awkward one in their relationship. Or the most awkward one, anyway.

- RICHARD JOLLY

The Napoli president has a reputation as such a difficult character that one club who admired Victor Osimhen could not bear the thought of negotiating with De Laurentiis, so did not pursue their interest in the striker. Meanwhile, Spalletti left Napoli in the glow of a Scudetto when his employer triggered an extension to his contract, rather than discussing an improved one.

It created a path that led to Leipzig, to Spalletti being available to take the Italy job when Roberto Mancini left to accept the Saudi millions. He marked qualification for the knockout phase of Euro 2024, his greatest achievement since securing Napoli’s first Serie A title in 33 years, by lashing out in a press conference. “There is venom coming from all sides, and I inject the venom inside me myself if it doesn’t,” he said at one stage. His venom was such that he then felt the need to call one of his interrogators to apologise. He did it at 2am.

If emotions could run understandably high in the aftermath of a 98th-minute equaliser, Spalletti seems to be seeking to win Euro 2024 one outburst at time; waging war with the Italian press – “I am not envious of someone who writes a lovely flowing piece of prose,” he said at one stage in Leipzig – and creating a one-man siege mentality with the perception everyone wants him to fail. Suffice to say, it is not the approach Gareth Southgate or Roberto Martinez would take. Less the ambassador, more a wizened ball of fury, Spalletti collected a caution for his own celebrations of Mattia Zaccagni’s dramatic goal against Croatia.