Lazio spokesman Roberto Rao reacted to yesterday’s tensions between Torino president Urbano Cairo and star striker Ciro Immobile.
As seen in an official statement earlier today, the 31-year-old Italian striker was reportedly verbally assaulted by Cairo outside the Biancocelesti dressing room yesterday, after the full-time whistle was blown on the disappointing goalless draw against Torino.
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Immobile responded on social media later that evening, with Cairo also finding the time to respond back, dragging out the commotion.
Earlier that evening, Cairo was seen being held back by his staff in the stands after an argument with Biancocelesti president Claudio Lotito. The pair have a well-known poor relationship, and the circumstances surrounding yesterday’s match were sure to have produced significant tension.
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Lotito tried to be awarded a 3-0 default win for Lazio after Torino failed to show up for a Serie A clash earlier this year. The Granata had suffered a serious outbreak of Covid-19 in the squad and had postponed their prior match against Sassuolo, but the rules stated that they should have played.
Despite this, the match didn’t go ahead and Lazio’s appeals in court for a 3-0 default win failed.
Below is Rao’s official statement:
Last night at the Olimpico very serious things happened for the world of sport, which Lazio cannot let pass in silence.
The reaction of President Urbano Cairo was out of place and in violation of the rules, including those of loyalty, probity and fairness, for which someone will have to answer in the appropriate places: no one can afford to have masterly attitudes, especially in our house.
The truth has been shown by the field: Lazio, starting from Ciro Immobile, has lavished every energy to honour the season until the last game, even if some questionable interpretations and a lot of bad luck have deprived the team of a deserved success.
Football is also this, but maybe someone was hoping for something different. And this is not football, this is not our football.
That’s why we will protect our captain and the club in all legal and sporting venues from the slanderous accusations that we firmly reject.
Our season has been accompanied by a relentless smear campaign, which has tarnished Lazio’s sporting image and affected our results. We will not allow this to happen again.
