Lazio president Claudio Lotito is reportedly seeking a truce with the club’s organized fan groups, who have revolted against his reign.
The Background
The Biancocelesti supporters have become increasingly dissatisfied with the current state of affairs at the club. They were already irritated with the club officials for causing the disastrous transfer ban last summer. And when Lazio finally had the opportunity to reinforce the squad in January, the fans felt that the team had instead been weakened.
Therefore, the organized fan supporters refused to attend the Aquile’s last two home fixtures against Genoa and Atalanta, while urging all other Lazio supporters to join them. Hence, Maurizio Sarri’s men have already played twice in a virtually empty Stadio Olimpico.
Even more worryingly, this scene will be replicated when they host Atalanta in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final on March 4, a game that has been described as Lazio’s most important of the season so far. Only 2,000 out of 29,000 season-ticket holders have registered their seats for the big clash.
Lotito Seeking a Solution with Lazio Supporters
According to Il Messaggero, Lotito has realized that this situation is no longer sustainable from a sporting and financial standpoint. Therefore, the club owner is now willing to heed the advice of his sporting director, Angelo Fabiano, who urged him to call for a round-table meeting.
Who Will Be Included in Lazio Round Table
This summit would be attended by multiple stakeholders, including supporters, journalists, industry figures and the academic world. The patron is currently considering three large locations for this event, which would serve as a dress rehearsal for the club’s upcoming general assembly later this year.
It remains to be seen if the fan representatives will be willing to attend this meeting or instead march on with their protest until Lotito sells the club, which remains their ultimate request.
Pivotal moment. DO NOT meet with him. Lotito will do nothing but spew empty words and false promises. He’s done it to Alessio. He’s done it to Sarri, and he’s done it to us.
If the protest continues, Lotito is out of moves and has to sell.
Agree with you David. Evidently this is hurting him financially, if they the fans continue the hold out he will eventually be forced to sell.
No owner can continue with empty seats and angry share holders.
This is the moment, stand your ground and force him to sell. It’s now or never.
Also @DavidC
Asking or demanding Lotito to sell Lazio is like Lazio to win 10th Scudetto.
Agree, never deal with devil. Lotito is full of lies. Once you trust him, you will be set up again, this motherfucker must leave Lazio.
They should stand thier grounds and not meet him…we got him on the balls…that old geezer better sell the club and leave…he should take his money and go buy a yacht, get his Italian model girlfriend who would give him a heart attack due to viagra overdose 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
We do not want to hear you Lotito, you liar! We already know you too well to believe in you.
STAND YOUR GROUND LAZIALE, WE GOT HIM!!!
You can all call for him to sell the club, as much as I despise him. You all do realise that not a single club in the last 10 years has been taken over by an Italian?
Roma was the first Italian club in 2011 to be taken over by a foreigner, now half the clubs in Serie A are foreign owned.
Serie A has now got 68.7% non Italian players, with some of them being counted as Italian who have a secondary pasport being Italian.
Serie A is with every years passing less and less Italian. With the supercoppa being organised in Saudi Arabia.
Going bankrupt and starting over isn’t great, but isn’t the end in most cases in Italy. Being owned by some foreign vulture fund like AC Milan was under Singer, that’s being owned by arguably the worst kind of people on planet earth. Being owned by some Qatari Sheik who wants to white wash the sport, that’s the end of Lazio. The club would be effectively dead.
Roma can say they’re outperforming us in the league for example. But that club is not only financially basically bankrupt, it’s also the first Italian Serie A club to have sold its soul. 1927-2011.
Know what you ask for, because it won’t be a new Cragnotti 95% certain that will take over.
Lotito is corrupt, Lotito is a swine and a terrible invasive owner but he’s Roman. If Arabic ownership comes in, it’s a cultural death sentence.
@Fausto this is a good point, but the cultural shift is beyond football, however, I’ll keep it to football in this situation.
What’s happening at Lazio is less of a cultural shift, and more of a decline in Italian football caliber. Serie A has been on a decline for a long time as evidenced by the lack of successful trips in European competitions, and on the national stage which we teeter again with missing another world cup.
The academies are failing due to stubburn ownership who are stuck in their ways, which Baggio predicted would happen years ago.
When the product begins to sink, you need to invest in the roots and youth systems to revive it which has not happened for a long time. The Del Piero’s, Gattuso’s, Cannavaro’s, Nesta’s of Italy’s prime are long gone and there isn’t a single player who’s been a capable replacement.
If there were more Italian players to be excited about, then I would 100% agree with you, but the Italian football dilemma goes far beyond Lotito
Lazio is a perfect example of what’s wrong with the Azzurri. No development of own youth and up until recently not giving the youth any chance. 2-0 up, 70th minute? Why put in a 33 year old instead of a 19 year old talent who’s on the bench? That kind of shitty choices and a youth program that drains money but delivers nothing. Cataldi is the only player I can think of that made it through. Strakosha played there but was 16 or something when he joined.
But “lets keep it to football” while talking about the need of a chairman to go, I disagree with. That’s politics and wanting him to go is a political choice. Bringing in a Qatari or where ever a new owner comes from is furthering globalism. It’s not just cultural it’s political. And with there basically being a near zero chance of an Italian taking over. It’s in my opinion asking for the removal of Lazio’s identity as an Italian club. If the players don’t truly represent Rome anymore and the owners are foreigners that thus far never lived and breathed in Rome. Only the fans remain, but those fans want a non Roman to come in and “save” them? It’s unroman, it’s like a scream for help.
Making fun of Roma for being a societa of bunch of clubs united, while Lazio stands proud and strong. Saved by general Giorgo Vaccaro.
99 years later, fans want to kill off the club. Yes Lotito is awful. But being a toy for a sheik or some investment firm looking for a profit, it’s the end of identity. And the end of the first club of Rome
I’m not Roman or even Italian. But I live and breathe Lazio. A foreigner does not equal disconnect from the people.
Let’s treat Lazio like a family land and keep it within family hands. Even the most ineffective one because no one else can farm within the family. Should we?
Lazio is Lazio irrespective of who sits on the seat of Presidency. That’s why some 2000 or so like to cheer on Lazio in spite of the overly miserly management and bleak times.
Serie A has been very slow to globalise and it might snowball into losing our top 5 status. Ask Netherlands.
Lazio deserves better. We shouldn’t be mediocre. If we don’t win, against Atalanta I really hope we do though it will be a whitewash, a thrashing a reminder of what good management,not Italian management brings even to the grassroots. SFL From Ghana.
Fully agree.
Not wanting to talk about culture and the trend of ownership changing and the lack of Italian players.
“Lets keep it at football” while talking about the need for Lazio’s chairman to go. It’s politics at its helm. Wanting him to go is a politically motivated choice. Bringing in a Qatari or where ever a new owner would come from is a furthering of globalism. It’s not just political it’s cultural as well. And with there being basically a near zero percent chance of an Italian taking over the club. It’s in my opinion asking for the removal of Lazio’s identity as an Italian club.
If the players don’t truly represent Rome or even Italy anymore, the owners are foreigners that thus far never lived and breathed Rome. The only element remaining is nostalgia and the fans themselves. But those fans are not begging for a non roman to come in save them. A desperate scream for help, it’s unroman. It’s what Rome’s allies in history did and it cost them their independences and eventually to be absorsed in history by Rome itself.
Making fun of Roma for being a sportive made up of a bunch of clubs united, while Lazio stood proud and strong. Defended by the legendary general Giorgo Vaccaro.
Now 99 years later, these fans are trying to force the undoing of the club. I fully agree that Lotito is awful. But being a toy for a sheik or some investment firm looking for a profit, it’s the end of identity. And the end of the first club of Rome. If you all want to be part of history in the making, undoing Lazio as an Italian football club. I can’t stop you. But know that such choices in life bare consequences.
@DavidC, agree with you that classical Italian owners like a Lotito and Zamparini. Those days are past. Where in other leagues a TD can do signings, Lotito while spending half his time with the senate also wants to involve himself with transfers. If he does that in the end of the day you can’t judge the TD’s work. As the chairman is at the very least co-responsible and can’t be fired.
Lazio and the long history of a failing youth academy is a rough one, even if you’re Laziale. Sending your kid to play for youth squad of Lazio, is a waste of time. Roma has a way better tradition of bringing up talent. Lazio tried by even bringing in Dutch people to try to fix it somewhat. But without a trainer who also implement youth players, this is bound to fail. Lazio selling promising wingback Floriani Mussolini is a well example of this. One of those absolutely awful choices, selling a promising young player who went through the Lazio ranks. Who’s well under the 23 years. (Important for Coviscon) But Lazio decides to sell. Once again I’m not a Lotito fan
Being Italian owned but also being mediocre and struggling every year is something you want?
sorry, I am much more ambitious, I hope Lazio can grow into a legend as great as Barca and Real Madrid.
And why people love to watch beautiful football? Do they care about the nationality of the owner? When you get the result in Champiknship League, you will bring the glory to Italy. Football is an entertainment to the public, no one wants to watch boring and mediocre football. You cannot deny that.
I wasn’t able to edit or remove the older text, so i re-wrote it to make it more grammatically sound.
@Fausto you make some really great points and offer up a refreshing point of view which I’m all ears for.
I’m curious what your suggestion would be to stop the downward spiral of Lazio. Based on the recent reports, we’re flirting with another transfer ban, so there’s little funds to invest.
We agree that Lotito is flawed in many ways, so hope is scarce. What are the realistic options?
Lazio has almost no owned assets. As the stadium and facilities around it + formello are all rented. While the squad represents a relatively transfer worth. As in how much the players are worth together, almost half of for example Roma. While also Atalanta is going to double Lazio. Lazio is even behind Fiorentina, while also Bologna and Como are worth more.
Yet those clubs are paying not remotely as much salary. Lazio is paying way too high salaries for their players.
So Lazio would probably do well to install a salary cap again. While also only signing players that are younger than for example 26 years old, so they still have resell value. Buy for low, sell for high. Which is basic market logic but something Lotito hasn’t done. Deeming his own players often as “untouchable and not for sale” while not having the luxury of honestly of doing so.
Getting the stadium build will be massive and the key to new funding. As that gives assets + new sponsorship though it adds debt. Lazio doesn’t have a lot of debt currently though it’s going up. But the lack of assets is a terrible problem.
Honestly Belahyane, Ratkov and all those players need to play. This season is except for the coppa Italia done for. Lazio needs to show off their players in order to either sell or get their worth up. Or make them become better and establish themselves for the team.
But Lazio already signed two transfer free players who break with that approach. 29 year old player doesn’t represent resell value. Which is vital.
With the negative news around the ultras and a transfer embargo, it’s harder to attract players and sponsors. So it’s a vicious circle. Relegation I reckon to be nearer for Lazio until they’ve got a new stadium, than getting into the Champions league. Also the gap between Lazio and the teams contesting the Europa League football will increase only more.
Tavares having a selling on fee, Gila same story that doesn’t help Lazio much either. Next summer unless a ban you need to replace Gila&Romagnoli which isn’t all too realistic to do that without giving up defensive stability.
Lazio has a big, big problem. Sarri and Lotito not seeing eye to eye and both parties lacking vision makes this even worst.
Having a self owned stadium helps nothing to the situation. It is the attitude of Lotito, he is arrogant and full of lies, he ignores the voices from the fans. He will just repeat the same awful strategy in the transfer market. Lazio will end up being mediocre and forgotten in the football world with this motherfcuker.
Circleplus, with all due respect. But saying that a stadium doesn’t help shows you don’t understand what kind of problems Lazio is in. Why Lazio received the Coviscon transfer embargo in the first place.
At those saying you want to have success and wins, join the Como train. They are the richest owned club in Serie A and will be growing rapidly from now on. Or go support PSG. I know we live in the age of ultimate team football supporters, who want the biggest stars from all over. But why did you became Laziale if you chase glory?
Not to alienate others but we if you don’t mind some owner who tries to sportwash his blood money to increase the reputation of a nation in the gulf. Our passion for the club is entirely different. The first ten matches I watched Lazio play, they didn’t win a single match. Like a Roman friend said well, after we saw Lazio lose the derby. “Being a Lazio fan is often getting hurt and being disappointed”.
The IRR also once tried to bring in a criminal syndicate to take over Lotito. So pretending they’re always on the good side and need ro be listened to is questionable.
Didn’t Fabiani claim the project to be buying under 25? The management is lying not only to us but to themselves. Basically these 2 have set up Lazio for failure.
@Burky
“Didn’t Fabiani claim the project to be buying under 25? The management is lying not only to us but to themselves. Basically these 2 have set up Lazio for failure.”
Well if they would be wise they would purchase actually Italian players under the age of 23, as the transfer fee paid weighs less heavy on how the Coviscon counts the finances. (To not get an embargo)
That’s why buying Taylor for almost 20 million is questionable when Lazio could’ve brought in an Italian player. This is purely monetary and rules based that I’m saying this.
I would also like to mention that PSG, Man City fans to name two are likely not too upset with their arab owners… not that I wish one take Lazio but just because the owner would be foreigner it doesn’t mean he couldn’t make Lazio stronger/way more ambitious plus none of the clubs mentioned above would’ve been considered bigger than Lazio 2 decades ago (when the great Lotito took over).
@Fausto completely agree that the stadium is long overdue. I’ve been screaming for this for years as it’s evident that Lotito uses the transfer market to keep Lazio afloat financially, but he’s failing at it. Lazio’s flirting with another transfer fan, so expect another fire sale in the summer window to stay afloat. Lotito’s market strategies are understandable, but flawed which I won’t get into as I’m sure that’s something we agree on.
…But… Do I think Lotito will actually bring a new stadium to Lazio by 2031? No. Not even close. This will be marred by delays, finger pointing, financial disputes, politics, etc. etc.
If Lotito stays, (which, let’s be honest, he will stay; he’ll die in the chair), I’d like to see him relinquish his influence on the transfer market and employ a more suitable advisor than Fabiani. The Italian youth system is dead, so they’ll need to farm the up and coming nations – Norway, Switzerland, etc.
He should also look closely at Sarri. Sarri’s a great coach, but Sarri wants to win – not develop. Lotito will need to find a coach he can align with long term.
If not, Lazio will be locking horns with Udinese, Cagliari, Sassuolo etc for 10th-12th league positioning for the next 5+ years.
@DavidC
The delays are indeed to be expected, the notorious unending Italian bureaucracy.
Football isn’t purely played on paper, so saying we won’t be able to compete for lets say place 6 in the upcomimg years. Isn’t something that can be done, but looking at squad worth which puts us in position 10 right now. It’s not weird Lazio would battle for those positions. That being said, when it comes to salary spending Lazio is higher.
This summer the contracts of Hysaj and Pedro will expire which is great news. As those salaries are way too high. Also Romagnoli and Tavares are likely to go, who are top earners. Gila and Gigot are on considerable less but those I expect also to leave. Dia would be great to sell, but with his injuries and lack of performances might be hard.
Attracting new sponsors will be crucial as a capital injection by Lotito, we know that isn’t happening.
@Sarri wants to win, indeed that’s true. Also at his age it’s hard to see him as part of the project. And he’s way too expensive anyway, Lazio isn’t in a position to give out such salaries any longer. Those days are gone.
@Burky I rather play in Serie B than become a club like PSG. I am not an ultimate team fan. I became fan of the club in hardship, by it’s colours, the fans and their history. And players.
Being like all those other clubs with Fly Emirates on their T-shirt and with their blood money buying the Mbappe’s from this world, that have zero affinity with Rome.
@CirclePlus you want to be like Barcelona? Why not become their fan, why are you supporting Lazio? Barcelona is a bankrupt team that can keep endless spending because they’re too big for La Liga to force bankruptcy.
If any team should’ve been forced a salary cap and not being allowed to sign players above 28 it was them. Like getting the green light to buy Lewandowski, that’s Russian roulette business making.