Max Tonetto, former Empoli and Roma full-back, knows Luciano Spalletti better than most. The two worked together at both clubs, and ahead of the Juventus–Roma clash this evening, Tonetto recalled their intense and often unpredictable relationship. In an interview with Tuttosport, he reflected on Spalletti’s demanding character, his unique way of motivating players, and his evolution as one of Italy’s top coaches.
“The First Time We Spoke, It Was a Shock”
“The first time we spoke at Empoli was almost a trauma,” Tonetto admitted. “At our first training session, we sat next to each other and he said to me: ‘Max, you don’t actually think you’ve come here to play, do you? There’s someone stronger than you in your role.’ That line sums him up perfectly. He knows that by provoking you, he can bring out your best.”
Over the years, Tonetto says Spalletti grew both tactically and in his man-management style. “He became one of the best coaches I’ve ever worked with. When he holds team meetings, he knows exactly which strings to pull. He makes you believe you can overcome any limit. The best years of my career were with him. I arrived at Roma already 30 and experienced, but he transformed me. I had always played in midfield or as a mezzala; with him, I became a left-back in a back four. Luciano changed my career.”
“We Argued Plenty of Times”
“Arguments? Plenty,” Tonetto laughed. “He has a complex personality. He looks you straight in the eyes and never beats around the bush. Believe me, that’s not a common quality in a coach. At Roma, there were constant clashes — especially with players like Christian Panucci, who also had a strong character.
“He’s a peculiar person: one day he’ll stop talking to you, the next he’ll come over and crush you in a hug. He never praises you directly after a good game. Back then, he preferred using the media to flatter his players and keep the tension high. I remember once reading an interview titled: ‘Max Tonetto, a left foot like a number 10.’ That one really made me smile.”
“Spalletti Always Aims for the Scudetto”
Turning to the present, Tonetto believes Spalletti will quietly set his sights on the Scudetto with Juventus. “Can Juve get back into the title race? Definitely. If they beat Roma, they’ll be right back in it. Spalletti, even if he doesn’t say it publicly, always aims for the highest target. If it’s not this year, he could win it next year when the team is fully built to his vision.
“For me, Roma look more of a team right now. I didn’t expect Gasperini to make such an immediate impact, especially without a central striker. If I were Roma in the summer, I’d have signed Vlahovic. Then they would have been serious title contenders.”
“With Totti, It Was a Special Bond”
Tonetto also fondly remembered the relationship between Spalletti and Francesco Totti. “They got on brilliantly, a really close bond. With Luciano, Francesco became a proper centre-forward. At first, he wasn’t convinced he could play that way, but in the end Spalletti was right. It was pure fun watching them together.
“I remember the night before our Champions League last-16 tie against Lyon. We were in the hotel lobby, and Totti looked at Luciano and joked, ‘Hey mister, look where the hell you’ve brought us now.’ We all burst out laughing. When Sabatini says Juventus is like morphine for Spalletti — I couldn’t agree more.”
