'Superhero' Totti marks 25th anniversary of Roma debut

ROME: Roma sports director Monchi called club legend Francesco Totti "a superhero" as the former captain marked the 25th anniversary of his Serie A debut on Wednesday.

Totti retired last year at the age of 40 and now has a director's role with the Italian club, who this season have reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in 10 years, where they will play Barcelona over two legs.

"Francesco has this ability, this reach, this influence and credibility that is so strong, Roma must certainly use that," Monchi told Fox Sports in an interview to be broadcast on Friday.

"It would be absurd, having a superhero among us, not to use his powers. And Totti is a superhero."

One-club man Totti made his debut as a 16-year-old in a 2-0 victory away to Brescia on March 28, 1993, and helped Roma win Serie A in 2001.

The forward's 786th and final appearance for Roma was as a substitute in a 3-2 league win over Genoa last July.

Totti is Roma's all-time leading goalscorer with 307 goals in all competitions.