SERIE A
Spalletti: Inter board will decide my future
After a damaging defeat to Genoa, Luciano Spalletti says only Inter's power brokers can decide if he should stay in his job.
Inter head coach Luciano Spalletti says it is up to the board to decide his future and denies his relationship with the club's hierarchy has broken down.
The Nerazzurri suffered a meek 2-0 defeat to Genoa on Saturday and will drop out of Serie A's top four if Lazio beat Verona on Monday.
Inter have won just one of their last 10 matches in all competitions, leaving their hopes of either silverware or a Champions League return in doubt and causing pressure to build on Spalletti's position.
The former Roma boss maintains he has a good relationship with the board but accepts his work will be under scrutiny.
"The relationship isn't creaking, but that doesn't mean the club are not analysing my work or that they don't make decisions," he told Rai Sport.
"The board will assess me as normal. We are in a difficult position to make judgements because, during a season, there are more changes among coaches than journalists."
Andrea Ranocchia's own goal put Genoa ahead before former Inter forward Goran Pandev secured the victory in the second half at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
"When it happens, it happens, and I can't do much about it," Ranocchia, who has never scored an own goal in Serie A before, told Mediaset Premium. "I think one own goal out of 186 games isn't that bad.
"It was a fast-paced move, Milan [Skriniar] tried to clear it and the ball just hit my knee at the precise angle to go in like that."It's disappointing but that isn't the problem here."
Inter were without Mauro Icardi and Ivan Perisic but Ranocchia refused to blame the defeat on the absence of their key attackers.
"That can't be an excuse, either," he said. "We have to work hard, focus on the next match and remember there's still plenty left of this season.
"If we get bogged down talking about this game, we'll never progress. It's a long season and there's a long-term objective. We have to move on to the next match."
