Lazio owner Claudio Lotito has refuted claims that the Bianconeri are enemies of the club, and condemned supporters who are willing the Capital side to lose, to ensure that cross-town rivals Roma don’t gain ground on the Turin giants.
The Lupi currently sit in second position, eight points behind the Old Lady, and with the Biancazzurri coming up against the Italian champions in on Saturday evening, fans of the home side have reportedly called up local radio stations encouraging their team to lose, so as not to give their bitter rivals a hand in the race for the Scudetto.
This isn’t the first time that sections of the Lazio support have behaved in this manner, as when Inter went in front against the Biancocelesti at the Stadio Olimpico in the 2009-10 season, in a match which helped stop Roma reaching the summit of the Serie A standings, they unfurled a sarcastic banner which read “Oh nooooo……”
“What the fans do won’t go unpunished,” Lotito confirmed to Tuttosport.
“People have to understand that football is something to be enjoyed, not treated with hatred, bitterness or violence.
“You must go to the stadium to enjoy a wonderful day and at the end the winners and losers emerge in a positive atmosphere, regardless of the result. That’s what happens in English stadiums.
“Juventus also have a group of fans who make problems. I have always said we need football to teach and set the moral tone. Once anything was allowed, now there is zero tolerance.
It’s still not enough, as we all need to understand that in football there are opponents, not enemies.”
In their attempts to prevent Juventus’ 13th successive win in Serie A, Lazio will have to do without the injured Stefan Radu and Ederson, and also Senad Lulic, Stefano Mauri and Eddy Onazi, who are all banned.
“We have a delicate situation in terms of absentees, but I hope the team can give everything and prove its determination.
“In the past this side has been capable of doing well in spite of difficulties, so I hope that will be the case again.”
Lotito has disagreed on numerous occasions with Juventus President Andrea Agnelli about how Italian football should go forward, however the Biancocelesti patron claimed that this wasn’t an issue between the pair.
“There were some counter positions on the interpretation of a different political, institutional and footballing path,” he continued.
“Common sense can help us to come together on certain issues. I also told Andrea [Agnelli] there mustn’t be winners and losers in the system, as if the system wins then we are all winners.
“As there are so many clubs in the Lega Serie A, we need a middle ground that suits everyone’s needs.
“For a start, we have to reduce the number of teams in the top division, otherwise we hold on to a system that creates debts for all concerned.”
