Zazzaroni Rages: “Allegri and Spalletti Are Being Attacked by Insignificant Former Players”

Ivan Zazzaroni, editor-in-chief of *Corriere dello Sport*, lashed out at those who, in his view, are overly critical of Luciano Spalletti and Massimiliano Allegri: “The first thing that came to mind when I thought about Juve-Napoli and Spalletti-Allegri wasn’t soccer, but rather the concept of respect. Or rather, the intolerable—indeed, shameful—lack of respect shown toward them.”

According to Zazzaroni, on social media “there is too often confusion between freedom of expression and criticism and a lack of respect for those who have spent twenty, thirty, or even forty years in the profession, achieving success at the highest level.”

The editor-in-chief of Cds doesn’t name names, but the reference is clear: “Professionals who have weathered all the changes without ever falling behind, but who, because of the roles they hold, are forced to endure vicious attacks and foolish lectures from people with neither skill nor standing—former soccer players of negligible value, talents only partially realized, all on the hunt for approval, a ‘like,’ a small contract. For public recognition. And money.”

“I think trying to teach soccer to Spalletti or Allegri is like suggesting scenes for a movie to Scorsese. Even Scorsese can get a movie wrong once, twice, three times before he goes back to being Scorsese,” he remarked.