Former Lazio president Gianmarco Calleri, who owned the club from 1986 to 1992, has sadly passed away today aged 81.
Calleri took over the Biancocelesti from the Chimenti group in 1986, helping the club avoid bankruptcy, working with financier Renato Bocchi. Under his leadership Lazio secured promotion back up to Serie A and began a process of modernisation at the end of the decade.
After bringing Lazio back to the Italian topflight, Calleri started attracting a number of stars to the club, including talented Englishman Paul Gascoigne and dangerous forward Ruben Sosa. He carefully managed to accounts, keen to avoid further financial turmoil, and laid the foundations of the current training centre in Formello, having purchased the land.
In 1992, Calleri sold Lazio to businessman Sergio Cragnotti, whose decade in charge saw the club rise to the highest heights in Italian football before being plunged into chaos due to gross financial mismanagement.
When Lazio was put up for sale in 2004, Calleri emerged to try and buy back Lazio, but his offer was beaten by now-president Claudio Lotito.
Calleri, who also had a brief spell with Torino in the 1990s, sadly passed away today due to cardio-pulmonary issues, Sky Sports Italia confirmed.
