The Lazio organized fan groups have confirmed their decision to continue to boycott the club’s home fixtures, in addition to taking several other measures in their ongoing protest against club president Claudio Lotito.
The Background
While the relations between the two parties have never been ideal, it has now reached its lowest point in the owner’s 22-year reign. The supporters have been urging the Italian senator to sell the club, accusing him of looking after his own interests rather than Lazio’s.
Therefore, they have been refusing to attend the club’s home fixtures since the end of January, with the only two exceptions being a Serie A fixture against AC Milan in March and the final of the Coppa Italia against Inter Milan last month.
Lazio Supporters Won’t Attend Home Fixtures Next Season
On Friday, the fan groups released a statement (via LazioNews24) explaining the steps they plan to take in the new campaign. The supporters will not buy season tickets or subscribe to the TV channels and online platforms that broadcast the club’s matches.
We will not purchase season tickets and will not attend home matches, whether in Serie A or the Coppa Italia. We are aware that we will lose the priority rights to seats we have occupied for decades, but we are no longer willing to accept this situation.
We will be present only when we decide to be. For once, be consistent with the restrictions you have imposed over the past year and do not use the Curva Nord choreographies, self-financed by the supporters, in the season-ticket campaign.
The Fans Will Be Present for Lazio vs Roma Showdown
The fans intend to follow the team in their travels and attend the away fixtures. Moreover, they’re willing to make an exception for the Derby della Capitale against Roma, entering the stadium on both occasions.
We will be present at every away match, doing our best to support the players and make them understand that this situation is neither their fault nor that of the new coach, whom we welcome and ask to conduct himself in a manner worthy of the badge he will represent.
We will be present at the derby matches, both home and away. We thought we were facing a fanbase with at least some degree of morale. Instead, they preferred to display banners and chant against an empty stand, proving exactly what they are: Romanista… Romanista.
We will collectively cancel and will not renew subscriptions to any paid platform broadcasting Lazio matches, in order to further raise awareness within Italian football—both economically and visually—of the extremely serious situation affecting our beloved Lazio. We will gather to watch Lazio’s home matches in bars, restaurants and pubs run by our fellow Lazio supporters.
Lazio Fans Will Boycott Lotito’s Businesses & Political Party
Finally, the Lazio supporters intend to boycott any business linked, directly or indirectly, to Lotito and will not vote for his political party.
We will boycott any business, sponsor or commercial partner that supports this presidency. This boycott was not started by us, but by those who instructed Lazio members not to frequent businesses run by some of the club’s most prominent supporters.
As long as Mr Lotito remains in charge of Lazio, we will not give our vote to Forza Italia or to any candidates he supports, even if they are Lazio supporters themselves. This decision has been brought about by Senator Lotito, who on several occasions chose to blur the line between his role as Lazio president and that of a Senator of the Republic, dragging politics into this dispute with the supporters.
The timing of these statements is interesting… This puts a lot of pressure on Lotito for this transfer window. But even then, I’m not sure what he can do to salvage this relationship.
Forrza Lazio. Good news please let’s kick the shit head lotito out.
Lazio is worth way more with the stadium getting build. Selling now I just don’t see it benefitting Lazio, as it will setback the stadium enormously.
The relationship isn’t going to get better, Lotito is incapable of doing so.
I see also only a north American bank, hedge fund coming in. Or some investment group from the gulf states. Or perhaps a south east asian group like Como.
That will remove Lazio as an Italian club.
100% agree. Lotito won’t sell. Even if he listed the club for sale, he’d probably botch it.
The transfer market for reinforcements is looking pretty bleak as all of the reports are ridiculous… Brandt? Coppola? Broja? … Sure.
The only hope for the boycott to end, would be a major overperformance by virtually every squad member, and a return to European qualification.
I don’t think over performing will bring the Ultras back, for now.
A new stadium won’t arrive highly likely before 2030 perhaps even 2032. I honestly don’t believe Claudio Lotito will be around at that time. He’s now 69, has had obesitas for quite some time. Is stressed and sleeps terrible. Highly likely diabetic, that’s a ticking time bomb.
But this situation is awful. A dream scenario would probably be, that Lotito would focus solely on the stadium. Let everything else be handled by someone else and by it, have the ultras return. So he would only be the owner on paper, but disappears almost entirely on all the other fronts. Unfortunately he has a way too big ego for that.
If Lazio overperform with the current squad and make a return to European competition, it’d be hard for the Ultras to justify a boycott, especially if Lotito does what I expect him to do…
If he learned anything from last season (which he stated was the most difficult in his career), he’ll likely go into hiding, and will defer any questions regarding the club/squad to Fabiani. He’ll probably make some appearances regarding the stock, stadium, financial index, etc.
He’ll stay in the background solely out of pride, but that’s about it. I don’t think he will relinquish squad control, but from a PR standpoint, will make it seem like he has by deferring to Fabiani.
If the club overperforms with him behaving this way, I think the Ultras come back. But do I think the squad will overperform? No. Not even close. Lazio will lose Gila and Romagnoli and will leak goals without those 2 on the backline. Currently, there are no striker reinforcements so the goal scoring woes will continue. Gattuso’s track record isn’t stellar by any means either, so a mid-table finish is the most likely scenario.
If you hope Lotito’s death will free Lazio from his ownership, I have some bad news for you. Claudio proclaimed several times that he is preparing club for his son Enrico to inherit. Last time I heard he was Lazio youth/women director.
At those names, yes signore Sakr loves filling articles with gossip transfers that are about as logical as the fee paid for Akpa Akpro.
Another yankees owning Italian club?
The minute one of them buys & owns Lazio, then my time as laziale is done !!!
Vaffanculo yankees !!!! Vattene !!!!
I 100% support the fans. The Laziali ARE LAZIO !!!
This clown Lotito forgot that
As much as we want tha old fart gone, any takeover by any club would mean the true identity of laziali is gone… those guys are bussiness men and dnt give a shit about history and tradition
For me Lotito will try to sign some player well known like Chiesa or Brandt. Maybe both of them to satisfy fans. Well let’s see what happens…