Lazio president wants Serie A to follow Premier League example
Lazio president Claudio Lotito claims that he and other Serie A chairmen will sue the Italian FA. Apparently, they think the league would benefit from taking a page out of the Premier League‘s playbook.
The president of the Biancocelesti has had several disagreements with the FIGC over the years. He was among the club chairmen who pushed hard for an 18-team Serie A. Eventually, the FA rejected the idea in a referendum.
La Repubblica reports that he is dissatisfied with the FIGC president’s election process. He thinks the Italian lesser divisions have too much influence on the Italian top division.
In the process of choosing a new president for the FIGC, the figures back up Lotito’s claims. Serie A accounts for 12% of the total, followed by Serie B at 5%, and Lega Pro at 17%. Then there is the National Amateur League at 34%, players at 20%, coaches at 10%, and referees at 2%.
Lotito expressed his frustrations to the press, suggesting that Serie A club presidents might pursue legal action against the FIGC.
What did Claudio Lotito say?
“We’re suing them. We count for nothing, there’s no point beating around the bush, we count for nothing”, he said.
“Have you ever seen a company where those who put in the money then have all the decisions made by everyone else who make up that same company? Today we live in a legal paradox. The president of the Football Federation is elected, as they say in jargon, by the “votes of the components.” And there, at that table, we play the part of kids at the adults’ table. The Serie A League is marginal, the Serie C one decisive: are we kidding?”
“You see, it’s the numbers that say we count for nothing: if the Amateur League combines its votes with those of Lega Pro, we’re talking about the old Serie C, that agreement is enough to bring any idea of the other clubs to its knees. The synthesis is banal: a Serie C club counts more than a Serie A one. An amateur society more than one playing in the Champions League. Enough now.”
“These rules no longer suit us: the lawyers will deal with their part, but our project is simple. Gravina and his Football Federation feel shielded by their statute. We want the Serie A League, composed of clubs with an image, fans, and generating 90% of the revenue, to become something different: the Serie A League must be the new Premier League.”
Lotito known to public for outbursts
Lotito isn’t hesitant to get into fights, and he and Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri have been at odds recently. The ex-Premier League boss had made it plain that he wasn’t responsible for the club’s transfer procedures. In response, the president of the Biancocelesti team played up the fact that, come the end of the season, he doesn’t want excuses.
In one of his most recent public feuds, he argues that the AC Milan loss on Friday was inherently unfair because of the three red cards they received. According to him, it proved the FIGC can’t provide dependability, thus he’ll be pushing for a third party to make the call.
Photo credits: IMAGO / Ulrich Hufnagel : IMAGO / Sports Press Photo