After the strong statements of Mancini about the Quarrel after the 90th minute between the nerazzurri coach and Maurizio Sarri, the coach of Napoli spoke to Rai Sport about the subject: “I was agitated by the decision on Dries Mertens, he complained about the added time and I thought it wasn’t enough. For me these are things that start and finish on the pitch, this is one of many classic quarrels in football. I did not realize I said something, I quickly apologized. I think that tomorrow he will accept my apology and I expect the same from him. Men of sport must accept these things and finish them. I don’t remember what I said. I was angry and he may have been offended, but it must end there”.
“I’m 60 years old, the years I have are already weighing me down – continued Sarri as he commented on the words of Mancini -. A quarrel on the pitch lasts for about ten seconds and then must finish. It was an insult born from anger, with no ulterior motives. I don’t have a problem with Mancini, the words escaped me because I was agitated by the sending off of Mertens. I lost lucidity, it seemed a strong injustice. It is debatable as to whether or not it was a penalty, but you can not give a yellow card for simulation. Even the length of added time seemed too short, given how the game was broken up”.
“Homophobic insults? There were no ulterior motives – concluded the former Empoli coach -. There was tension, something on the pitch could escape. It is a life that works this way, but everything must finish there. I do not know why Mancini would be offended in that way. It’s become a thing that has escaped the pitch, I would not have done this. I accept that another person may think otherwise. Every offense is unfortunate, but I do not think that it had to leave the field. I apologized to him in private, I can’t do much more than that. I will repeat it tomorrow, it seemed to me like any old quarrel on the field. There were tones that are not to be used in the absolute way, but on the pitch I have heard and seen the worst. Under stress these things can happen, I hope that Mancini with a cool head will change his mind. There was no discrimination, I apologise to any homosexuals if I used those kinds of words”.
Source: RaiSport.
