The Serie A Sides Who Could Benefit From An Unlikely Last Dance With Francesco Totti

In a week of comebacks in Italian football, perhaps Francesco Totti is saving the best until last.

As Leonardo Bonucci returned to the scene as head coach of Italy’s Under 20s, Pep Guardiola reunited with old Brescia team-mates and Mario Balotelli flirted with a return to Serie A, the 48-year-old hinted that he may may be tempted to join the trend.

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Roma icon dropped the sensational bombshell that clubs in the country’s top flight had been in touch to coax him out of retirement.

“There were Serie A teams that called me,” he told the Italian daily paper. “I admit that they made me think a little, a little crazy. It would be difficult, but in life you never say never. There are players who have played many years after the end of their career. It also depends on where you play, with all due respect, but if I were to return to Serie A I would have to train really well.

“With the level of today’s Serie A I could easily have my say on the pitch. I’d be ready in two to three months. I’m still playing at 48. Half an hour, twenty minutes.”

While most will remain convinced the days of watching Totti grace a Serie A stadium are firmly behind us all, there are certainly a few teams Destination Calcio can think of that would still benefit from the presence of Er Bimbo de Oro… even if he is closing in on turning 50.

Venezia

Let’s get this out of the way before we go any further. Totti’s assertion that he “could easily have my say on the pitch” is simply preposterous. No matter his extraordinary career and Serie A’s perceived decline, nobody waltzes into the Italian top-flight two years short of their 50th birthday.

That said, if there was a Serie A club that could benefit from Totti’s experience and creativity would be Venezia. In their first season back in the top-flight, the Lagunari are rock bottom with a paltry five goals to their name – the second-worst attacking record in the division behind Lecce – and already three points adrift of safety.

Even in the already unlikely event of him making a comeback, Totti’s chances of returning to Roma are effectively non-existent.

But from a marketing standpoint, it would be a major coup from Venezia and living in Venice sells itself.

Lecce

Perhaps if there was any squad in Serie A desperate for Totti’s technical finesse, even at 48, it would be the Salentini. Lecce have had a torrid start to the season and just received a 6-0 demolition by Fiorentina at the Stadio Via del Mare on Sunday. It was their worst ever defeat in Serie A and the pressure is on Luca Gotti to turn things around, as they try to avoid the third-season jinx.

Lecce lack players with a creative spark, and this is where Totti could come into play. Totti was never the fastest player even in his prime, and he could let do other players do the running, while he gets on the ball and sprays passes around.

To help the Giallorossi’s cause, they could attempt to bring back 44-year-old Javier Chevanton and 41-year-old Mirko Vucinic to Puglia in order to finish the chances Totti would create. Lecce have only scored three goals in Serie A this season, so they need all the help they can get at this stage.

Roma

OK, so maybe there is as much chance of Totti being paraded around the Stadio Olimpico in the blue of Lazio as there is of him donning the Giallorossi colours once more. But in truth, Dan Friedkin has had worse ideas over the past few months.

His treatment of fellow club icon Daniele De Rossi and his unceremonious sacking has left supporters venting their fury at the ownership group, with Ultras holding a protest before the 1-0 defeat by Inter on Sunday, refusing to enter the stadium for the first 15 minutes.

The return of another hero could act as an olive branch to the fans calling for all-out war against the current regime, and perhaps enough time has passed from Totti’s perspective too, after he left his role as a director under a cloud in 2019.

His numerous appearances around the legends track suggests the 48-year-old still has something to offer on the training ground at least, and it goes without saying a few hints and tips in the finishing department wouldn’t go a miss.

So far, Ivan Juric’s side have mustered just eight goals across eight matches in Serie A, with their profligacy costing them in several matches – including stalemates with Cagliari and Juventus.

From impudent chips to thunderous free-kicks, there is plenty of wisdom Totti can pass on to Artem Dovbyk and Co. Not least what it means to be a Romanista.

Genoa

Admit it, the prospect of seeing Alberto Gilardino and Francesco Totti link-up again 18 years after Italy’s World Cup triumph has crossed your mind, hasn’t it?

And, truth be told, Genoa could do with the pair of them up-front this season. Serie A’s surprise package last term, the Rossoblu have found life much harder this time around and found themselves in the relegation zone with just one win to their name so far.

Their offensive profligacy goes a long way in explaining their dire return of just seven goals in eight matches, with Andrea Pinamonti accounting for over half of that total.

The Sassuolo loanee is one of only five Genoa players to have found the net so far this season and one suspects that, even at the age of 48, Totti’s arrival would only improve the Rossoblu‘s creativity.

Empoli

Empoli have been one of Serie A’s surprise packages this season, but imagine where they could be with a bit of stardust up top. Enter Mr. Francesco Totti.

Roberto D’Aversa has moulded a side that are tormenting some of the biggest names in the division, holding Juventus to a draw, beating Roma and narrowly losing to league-leaders Napoli 1-0 on Sunday.

The one thing missing from their game is goals, something Totti provided in abundance during his career with Roma – 307 across all competitions. Surely, even at his grand old age, he could provide another one or two for a side with just six goals in their eight league games this campaign.

There is also the chance to swap the hustle and bustle of the nation’s capital for the picturesque Tuscan countryside surrounding the town. As the half-century approaches, maybe it’s the change of pace the Azzurri icon needs.