'Icardi is worth more to us than Messi or Ronaldo'

Spalletti announced that Icardi, who has not played since February 13th  after a tough dispute with Inter and the coach for the loss of the captaincy, will start against Genoa. He spoke during the press conference prior to the match at Marassi Stadium.

The Italian coach clarified his position with a calm tone, after the defeat against Lazio on Sunday, was enraged by a question about the absent Icardi and considered that the Rosarino did not deserve to be on the field by a series of questionable attitudes.

"Icardi's shirt, alone, is worthless. With ten jerseys behind and a team, then it's worth more than Messi and Cristiano put together, especially for us. For us it's worth a lot, but within the team and sweating. Not alone and without teammates," he said.

He also clarified the reasons that led him to declare on Sunday that negotiating with Icardi for him to play again is something "humiliating".

"The work of Chief Executive Officer Marotta was decisive; one should not read things in the wrong way. It was decisive in arriving at a real rather than a virtual dialogue. It's something that made Icardi available again," he said.

"But if mediation was requested by Icardi to set conditions then it is much more complicated. Because there is a club, fans and also a coach. All these things have a heart," he continued.

He insisted a lot on the word "sweat", to underline that Icardi must put himself at the service of the team, since that allows him to be a true leader.

"It takes sweat, you have to be inside the team. It's difficult to say that Icardi is able to help the team, he can push them on, but from the inside, not from the outside," he explained.

Thus, after 50 days of cold war, Inter and Icardi are preparing to sign a peace, although Spalletti acknowledged that what happened represents a defeat for both sides.

"It's a story from which we all come out defeated, but it gives us a firm point from which to come out again. It was necessary to make a point. And now we're out of the qualification we have," he said, referring to Inter's third position in Serie A.