Lazio fan and journalist Simon Basten explains why the time isn’t ripe for Claudio Lotito to sell the Italian capital club.
Lazio Supporters Boycotting Home Fixtures
The increasingly unpopular patron is facing the biggest fan backlash of his 22-year reign at Formello. The club’s organized fan groups have decided to boycott the team’s home fixtures. Therefore, Maurizio Sarri’s men have played their last four home fixtures in a virtually empty Stadio Olimpico.
Earlier this week, the supporters have announced their decision to return the stands for a one-off when the Biancocelesti host AC Milan on Sunday, before vacating their seats once more. The fan groups have vowed to continue their protest until Lotito agrees to sell the club to a new owner.
Simon Basten Explains Lotito vs Lazio Fans Standoff
In his interview with the BBC, Basten shed some light on the situation, explaining the fans’ perspective and the reasons behind their firm stance.
The Lazio fan needs to dream… and now at the moment, the Lazio fan is not dreaming Fans are boycotting and not coming to games, but never as bad as this particular moment,
The fans believe that if they don’t go to the stadium, they will force Lotito out and he will be forced to sell the club. ‘Don’t go to the stadium, show the world that the fan is the boss and must be central to the project.’
Nevertheless, the Lazio expert admits that forcing an owner to sell a football club is always a tall order, particularly this one.
Changing the manager, changing a player, changing a media consultant in a club is easy because you can force that in some way or form. Presidency and sale of the club is a little bit more complex.
Claudio Lotito Practically Unable to Sell Lazio at The Moment
Basten suggests that a Lazio sale could also be intertwined with the club’s plans to renovate the Stadio Flaminio. He firmly believes that Lotito cannot walk away before acquiring the final approval from Rome’s city council, which would effectively move the project to the concrete phase.
This is not the moment to buy or sell because whoever wants to buy anyway has to wait for approval from the city council before putting in a bid.
It’s a bit like trying to sell your house while you’re waiting to have the OK to build a swimming pool.
How The Lazio Debacle Will End?
Finally, Basten believes the two parties must try to find common ground and reach a truce, as it’s the only way out of this chaotic situation.
Lotito is not a tycoon, it’s not like he can put loads of money into the club, he can’t do that.
Lotito is as flexible as an iron bar. You will have to come to terms in some way or form. There has to be some type of peace between the two because otherwise kids are not going to follow Lazio.
They want to see things, they don’t want to see problems, they want be able to dream, and at the moment that’s not happening. If they don’t go see the stadium it’s not going to happen at all.
Anyone with money power will think many many times before buying and/or investing in Lazio.
Lotito is one tough mofo to deal with, besides we’ve been accustomed to controversies for decades. Why would someone or some companies with common sense inject their money in Lazio while the risk of loss (not just financially) is very high ?
We’re stuck with fat belly Lotito.
I don’t think Lotito is as bad owner as Mike Ashley used to be for Newcastle Utd. Arabs or Americans would be worse in a long term… Lotito needs to invest more in the team. I like our clean jersey, but he needs to get sponsors. And nowadays with us falling to mid-table territory nobody will give him those €15m+ for shirt sponsorship. New stadium is crucial and it will massively help Lazio to stabilize. But in a meantime we must shift focus within the club. Let’s go step by step like Atalanta. Do something with Primavera. Roma is a big city. We must attract talent. Bring young progressive coach co can work with youngsters. No more old farts like Sarri, Pioli or Mazzarri who still think it’s 2015. If we finish 13th this season let’s try to be 10th next season. And if we finish 11th ok, but playstyle has to be better. Shift the team, modernize it. Movement, passing, creativity. And climb that the ladder slowly, I’ll ok with that. But I want to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
YES! I agree with you. I believe all of us are thinking the same. We do not want that the team gonna fight for the scudetto immediately, just want to see the light at the end of tunnel as how you mentioned.
Of course we Laziales would be the happiest supporters if our beloved team would be as high as in the early 2000’s with Crespo, Veron, Nesta, Salas etc. but for that, we need major changes at every level inside our team. And we really need to start at the very begginings!
Let’s prepare a long-term business and strategic plan with the academy,training,players,coaches,playstyle, stadium, with everything and keep it up everyday until we reach the main goal which has to be: a financial balanced and profitable team which is really strong enough to be in the podium every year. A team which will be the dream for the little kids in Italy, a top destination with young talents and also top class players. And then everybody can say ‘ its good to be here and belonging to S.S.Lazio”.
I know it is not easy, and we are in front of the screens and inside our armchairs we always know everything better, but now, really here is the moment when we have to draw the line and put effort,work,attitude to make Lazio great again.
Laziale per sempre, Hajrá Magyarország!
Don’t be naive, Lotito is too arrogant to listen to any fans’ voice. He must leave.
In football world, money is a devil but also a must needed power to improve the team, just take a look at EPL, even new comer teams can still steal the signing of promising players from Lazio as they have enough money. Building a stadium and keep Lotito here will only lengthen the pain, he is greedy and selfish, do you think he will put the money earned from the stadium into the transfer market or the youth academy? I don’t think so, he will take it as capital gain or repay the debt first. He is a businessman, not a owner who trace for dreams.
Laziale is correct
American or Arab owners would completely destroy what is left of our Club.