Staff Writer Tommaso Paolucci writes about S.S Lazio under Claudio Lotito’s turbulent ownership, resulting in the club being a shadow of its former self as they suffer dwindling results and fan boycotts.
On August 27 1999, S.S Lazio defeated Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United to lift the UEFA Super Cup. In the same season, the Roman giants won the Serie A in dramatic fashion, as Juventus lost to Perugia on the final day of the season.
Lazio fans have always been the pulsating heart of the club – in good and bad times. On July 5 1987, Lazio found itself on the brink of relegation to Serie C (Italy’s third division). A play-off against Campobasso would decide its fate, as Lazio had to win. More than 20,000 travelling supporters helped secure survival with their remarkable backing.
But alas, even the most devoted fanbases have limits – and Lazio’s have reached theirs. The decision to boycott the stadium in protest against the owner reflects the depth of frustration among the fanbase. This article will aim to break down the current situation and the reasons that led to today’s point of no return.
Empty Seats
Season ticket sales had remained fairly consistent in recent years with 30,333 in 2023/24, 29,036 in 2024/25 and 29,163 in 2025/26. However, as of July 31 2026, fewer than 2,500 season tickets have been sold. This figure is contested by many as it likely includes ‘gifted’ season tickets. Therefore, taking into account a more realistic estimate of 2,000, this marks a steep decrease of 93% from last season.
How the Boycott Unfolded
The first successful attempt at a boycott in recent times came when Lazio played Genoa on January 30 2026. Even if the club released statements condemning the ‘Ultras’ for influencing other fans’ decision, the result showed that the Laziali (Lazio fans) were, once again, united. The attendance in the Stadio Olimpico totaled 5,000. Two weeks later, on Valentine’s Day, Lazio played Atalanta in front of 3,400 fans – a number that further decreased to 2,000 on March 9, as Lazio defeated Sassuolo in surreal conditions. Speaking to DAZN in April, ex Lazio manager and fan-favorite Maurizio Sarri claimed that the situation is ‘depressing‘ and not ‘tenable in the long-term’.
The protest continued until the end of the season and proved one of the Laziali’s mottos to be true: ‘Se i Laziali sono uniti, non verranno mai sconfitti’ (if Lazio fans are united, they will never be defeated).
Lazio fans took the protest to the streets of the capital in July 2026, chanting, among other things, the slogan ‘Libera la Lazio’ (set Lazio free) which has expanded beyond italian borders. More than 20,000 fans attended, claiming that leaving the stadium empty was an ‘extreme act of love’ (estremo atto d’amore).
To understand that sentiment, it is key to examine the reasons which have driven tensions to the current peak.
Italian news outlet ‘LA7’ journalist Raniero Altavilla told Roar News that the protest “reached a point of no return” because the owner has “never done what’s good for Lazio”. Altavilla also stated that “Lotito has always gone against his fans and placed his own personal interests ahead of Lazios”. Altavilla has clearly described the view most Laziali share in regards to the club’s President.
Years Without a Vision
One of the main charges Lazio fans level at the owner is a lack of ambition. Lotito had numerous opportunities to take Lazio to the next level – consistent top 4 finishes in Serie A – but has consistently failed to do so. The 2015/2016, 2018/19, 2020/21 and 2023/24 seasons followed the same pattern: a strong finish one season, followed by a disappointing summer transfer window, followed by an underwhelming campaign the year after.
A particularly telling and recent example is the 2023/24 season under Maurizio Sarri. The former Chelsea manager had led Lazio to second place in 2022/23 – the club’s highest finish in 22 years, since their Scudetto win in 2000 – and had a clear vision for how to keep Lazio competitive at the top, requesting specific signings to do so. Lotito himself, in May 2024, confirmed that he was aware that Sarri had asked for Berardi and Zielinski. Neither signing materialized, and Sarri claimed that he “asked for A and they made me choose between C and D”. His frustration reportedly spread through the squad, contributing to a difficult season that ended with his resignation in March 2024.
An economist on ‘X’ known simply as ‘LeastSquares71’ has raised this subject to raised this to Roar News, stating that “the owner’s desire to grow is reflected in the investments made, and in these 22 years, very little has been seen”. He added that “areas crucial to a club’s development, such as the academy, scouting, communications, and the stadium have been abandoned”. All of this, according to LeastSquares71, comes “as a result of Lotito’s short-sighted decision-making”.
This short-sightedness also concerns Lazio’s management model which has “exhausted its growth potential for approximately three years” and is inevitably “leading the club toward economic and sporting decline”, according to LeastSquares71. The economist argues that the reason for this is “inherent in the model itself, which has based the club’s growth solely on TV revenue”. One clear indicator of the downward trend is the cost of the squad (a marker of a club’s competitiveness) which has “fallen from sixth to eighth place in Serie A in the last three years, with a projection of ninth place next season”. It is clear that Lotito’s economic project, if he ever had one, has failed.
The Political Battleground
Another major target for the protest is the owner’s role in Italian politics. Lotito is a senator for centre-right party Forza Italia, after being elected in September 2022. Lazio fans are targeting his position to apply strong political pressure. Multiple banners have appeared in Roman streets: ‘Zero votes for the centre-right coalition if Lotito stays at Lazio’. Lotito is becoming a political problem for his own party. Journalist Altavilla claims that “even his own party does not want him” and that he has caused Forza Italia to “lose thousands of votes”. “Politically, he never brought any added value to his party”, concluded Altavilla.
Disregard for Lazio’s History
Lastly, Lotito has consistently demonstrated a lack of respect for Lazio’s history, often in public outings. The Italian senator often picks up calls from Lazio fans who are recording their conversation, and, more often than not, the call ends with Lotito insulting some aspect of the Roman club’s history. One of the most recent and gravest incidents saw Lotito complain that he had to spend “550 million Euros” settling Lazio’s debts to “save that fucking history (of the club)”. This is just one of many examples of the disrespect shown towards the club he is supposed to represent. Altavilla correctly argues that “Lotito is destroying an institution with 126 years of history behind it” and that he “couldn’t care less about Lazio”.
More Than a Grudge
The Lazio protest, read in isolation, might appear to be yet another episode in the long history of fan discontent with unpopular owners. But the scale and duration points to something bigger: a shift in how fans fight back – through coordinated economic pressure that hits revenue, sponsors, and politics all at once.
The Road Ahead
In conclusion, will the protest work? Will Lotito sell the club? LeastSquares71 argues that there are speculations regarding “growing tensions at the political level” which could lead Lotito to have to make a choice between Lazio and politics.
However, there is no question that the Laziali’s protest will continue. As Altavilla stresses, “it remains a very strong form of love” despite the pain of being unable to be in the stands – a place that, for the fans, symbolises “home, comfort, and love”.
Se i Laziali sono uniti, non verranno mai sconfitti – and this time, more than ever, they mean to prove it.
About the author
