ROMA - REAL MADRID
Totti: "In some parallel universe, I was Sergio Ramos' captain"
The former AS Roma player explains in his biography as to how Florentino Perez tried to secure his signature on two occasions.
Tonight ahead of Roma v Real Madrid Champions League match, former "capitano" of the Giallorossi, Francesco Rossi is set to be inducted into the AS Roma 'Hall of Fame'.
In his recent biography 'Un Capitano' written by journalist Paolo Condó it outlines on the two occasions that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez attempted to lure Totti from the "Eternal City" to don the white shirt of Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The first time came about on September 11, 2011 ahead of a meeting between both clubs in the Champions League. During a pre-game protocol lunch, Pérez asked his counterpart Franco Sensi if Totti was available for sale. The Roma president closed the matter with a curt "what sort of joke is this" comment.
Not to be deterred, in 2004, Florentino, once again attempted to secure the services of the central player. At the time Totti had just one year left on his contract with the then "Galacticos" Beckham and Zidane telling the Roma player that he'd soon be joining them in the Spanish capital. Totti was earning 5.8 million euro with the club from the capital and Fiorentino offered the player a 12 million plus a lucrative image rights deal. "It was crazy claims Totti in the book, I was set to become the best paid player in the world with Madrid poised to offload Figo so the No.10 shirt would be mine".
Ultimately in a time of short term deals and questionable loyalty in the game, Totti stated: "I won't commit treason on my people, I won't go to Madrid and will write my history with Roma". In his final match with the Roma shirt at the Bernabeu he received a standing ovation from the home fans and changed shirts with Sergio Ramos". He recalls the moment in the book stating: "Ramos has been with Madrid since 2005, the year when I was poised to join. In some parallel universe, I would have been his captain...".
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