Ranieri: "Forlan didn't refuse to come on the pitch. I asked him would you like to play as a winger and he said no. He wanted to play in another role. I thank him for his honesty"
Ranieri: "Forlan didn't refuse to come on the pitch. I asked him would you like to play as a winger and he said no. He wanted to play in another role. I thank him for his honesty"
“He did not refuse to come on,” assured Ranieri. “I simply asked if he was prepared to do this specific tactical work on the left?
“He replied with great honesty: 'No, Coach, if I do have to come on then I prefer to do it playing in another way.’ So I opted not to introduce him, as I needed something else.”
Some would consider that explanation to constitute a refusal, but Ranieri is adamant there was nothing to create controversy about.