Inter’s coach, Spalletti blasts Icardi’s behavior

Inter Milan manager Luciano Spalletti and star striker Mauro Icardi’s wife and agent Wanda Nara gave different versions of recent events in the press after Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Lazio in Serie A.

Spalletti opted not to call up Icardi after he returned to training this week, despite the absence of the injured Lautaro Martinez. Inter were predictably toothless in attack as a result, and the coach criticised the former Sampdoria man in his post-match interview with Sky Sport Italia:

He explained why he kept him on the sidelines, saying it was down to his behaviour, before calling the fact he has employed a lawyer to mediate on his behalf “humiliating”:

“I know what my job is. As things stand today, for the way he behaved, he has to stay out and the others have to play. It is clear for everyone to see what happened and how events unfolded.

“This mediation is humiliating for Inter fans and for those who love Inter. The need to mediate with someone just to get him to pull on the shirt that they love. It’s humiliating.

“Negotiating with someone just to get him to pull on the Inter shirt. What, do I need to email 20 lawyers and ask them if I can call someone up?

“Icardi needs a game out. If he continues to behave the way he has done recently, then he can start to come back in. People say we lost games without Icardi. Inter didn’t get into the Champions League for years with Icardi. Inter lost worse games than this with Icardi.

“Lionel Messi makes the difference, not Icardi, with all due respect. Professionalism and self respect are everything. Discipline is everything.

“I’ve left players out for far less in my time. You must have respect and behave in the locker room. The coach must be credible and recognised as someone who will do the right thing.”

Nara responded to the criticism during an appearance on TV show Tiki Taka (h/t Goal’s Jamie Smith):

“Mauro is ready, and it’s all down to the coach’s decision.

“If Mauro came back, would he make the same choices? It depends on what choices…I don’t know. It depends on how you see the situation.

“Mauro has not yet spoken: he only expects to play and is preparing for this.

“His [Spalletti’s] words are not a step back. Mauro is used to hearing so many things around him, but then focuses on what needs to be done to help Inter on the field.”

Icardi hasn’t featured for the club since February, when the club stripped him of the captaincy. As Football Italia explained, the 26-year-old claimed his absence was due to a knee injury, but it is widely believed he instead pulled out as a reaction to the captaincy issue.

Inter are in the middle of a tight battle for a UEFA Champions League spot and could have used their star hitman on Sunday. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic gave Lazio a lead in the first half, and that was enough to bag three crucial points:

The result moved Lazio just five points behind Inter and was a major disappointment for the fans, and the post-match comments from the coach only made things worse. Some supporters thought his outburst was just as bad as Icardi’s continued absence:

Inter have won just two of their last five Serie A matches, opening the door for AC Milan, Atalanta and Lazio to make a real push for third place in the standings. The Nerazzurri face a difficult stretch of fixtures to end the season, with the likes of Atalanta, Roma, Juventus and Napoli all still on the schedule.