Former AS Roma owner Rosella Sensi has hit out at the club's president James Pallotta.

The Sensi family ran the capital club from 1993 until 2011. Sensi was reacting to Francesco Totti's announcement that he was leaving the club.

“I was convinced that someday Totti would be the Coach of Roma," Rosella told Sky Sport Italia.

“Right now, I'm feeling sad, Totti can't stay away from Roma. He is like a little brother to me, I understand it was a heavy decision that he made and behind his famous smile there must be a lot of suffering, for him to leave Roma is not easy.

“It will be difficult for the fans too, as they loved and believed in him so much. Totti is a symbol of football, he wanted back from the game what he gave it, but they didn't offer him a properly defined role at the club."

Franco Sensi gave the reins to his daughter Rosella when he became ill, eventually dying in August 2008.

“My father and Totti had a special relationship without ever needing someone to mediate between them. My father also gave Franco Baldini a job as sporting director, but he never thanked him for it.

“Unfortunately, all that my father built has been destroyed, he brought Roma to a very high level in Italy and on the World stage.

“I don't like to tell people what to do, but I would suggest to James Pallotta that he spends more time at Trigoria, so he can understand what is really going on."