Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero has clarified remarks he said about Inter Milan president Erick Thohir at the weekend after the Italian FA (FIGC) opened an investigation.
Ferrero has already apologised for branding Thohir a Filipino while he cannot understand the clamour it has caused, suggesting that had it been his Juventus counterpart Andrea Agnelli talking, it would have been reported in a different manner.
"It was only a joke and it's been exploited," Ferrero told Radio Centro Suono Sport. "Agnelli's said far worse in the past, but nobody's ever done anything to him because he owns newspapers.
"I think that Thohir's an intelligent man and I've got nothing against him. I just wanted to defend [Massimo] Moratti, who is a great man who has given a lot to Italian football. Moratti's won lots and invested lots. Like [former Roma president Franco] Sensi, who put money in.
"These people warrant respect."
Ferrero did not show too much of that for Juve, however, expressing his hope that they will not even qualify for the Champions League next season.
"I'm a Romanista," he said. "Today, though, I am madly in love with Sampdoria. I want Roma to beat Juve 4-0 and Roma to win the title and Juve come fourth. Juve are going to fall soon and Roma will overtake them."
Fourth-placed Samp, who held Roma to a goalless draw at the weekend, travel to the Juventus Stadium on Dec. 14, but they have a difficult series of fixtures against Inter, Fiorentina, AC Milan and Napoli prior to that trip.