July 20, 2008	Sunday	Rajab 16, 1429

ROME, July 19: Francesco Totti is not ruling out a return to the Italian national team, the AS Roma captain said.

The 31-year-old, who picked up a World Cup winners’ medal in 2006, retired from international football last year saying his body was no longer up to playing for both club and county.

However, the return to the Azzurri dugout of Marcello Lippi, with whom Totti said he had a “great relationship”, raised hopes the player may return.

“If I’m well and I don’t have problems, it will be possible to address this issue in six months or a year,” Totti, who missed the end of last season with a knee injury, told Saturday’s La Gazzetta dello Sport.

On the domestic front, Totti said Roma, runners-up in Serie A last season, need to make two major signings in the close season if they are to compete with Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus for the title.

He still seems to bear a grudge against Christian Poulsen, Juve’s latest signing, after being banned for three matches for spitting at the Denmark midfielder during a Euro 2004 group game.

Totti stated that he had been provoked and he was not impressed by Poulsen’s recent offer to shake his hand.

“It’s easy to talk now,” he said. “He could have come and told the truth at the hearing the day after. I don’t think he adds anything (to Juve) at the technical level.”—Reuters