Pallotta: Monchi had complete control at Roma

ROME (AP) — Roma president James Pallotta criticized former sports director Roman Rodriguez Verdejo, known as Monchi, for saying he left the club because of a difference of ideas.

Monchi rejoined Sevilla two years after he left to join Roma and said at a press conference on Monday that "the president wanted to go to the right; I wanted to go to the left."

In a statement published on Roma's website, Pallotta expressed his surprise at Monchi's comments and made it clear he had given Monchi "100 percent control."

"He asked me to trust him and let him do it his way," wrote Pallotta, who is also a minority owner of the Boston Celtics. "We gave him complete control and now we have more injuries than we've ever had and are in danger of missing out on finishing in the top three for the first time since 2014."

Roma is four points behind fourth-place AC Milan and six behind Inter Milan. The top four from Serie A qualify for next season's Champions League.