Totti bags hat-trick on comeback
by Anthony Smith (staff) | Monday, November 23rd, 2009
Francesco Totti (Courtesy of www.francescototti.com)
AS Roma captain Francesco Totti proved despite a run of injuries he remains one of the most potent attacking threats in Italian football after netting three goals in a first half against Bari at the Stadio Olimpico.
Back in competitive action after six weeks out following an operation on his persistently faltering right knee, ‘er capitano’ (‘the captain’ in Roman dialect) almost left his coach Claudio Ranieri speechless.
“I wasn’t expecting it (the hat-trick),” Ranieri told TV reporters in a post-match interview. Referring to mounting speculation that the Roma captain may be called back into the Italy squad by national coach Marcello Lippi, Ranieri exclaimed woth a smile, “Personally, I hope not.”
Totti himself said, “Me finished? That’s what they (his critics) keep saying but it just drives me on.”
Roma’s 3-1 win over mid-table Bari helped moved them up to 11th, level on 18 points with the Apulian team, but still way beyond a top-four finish and a chance of Champions League football. Serie A leaders Inter Milan maintained their 5 point lead over second placed Juventus with a 3-1 win at Bologna while AC Milan in third and Sampdoria in fourth both recorded wins keeping the leaders within reach on 25 and 24 points each respectively.
