Lazio president Claudio Lotito says their win over Bayern Munich was a ‘great victory’ and insists the club can become even bigger in the future. A 1-0 win was enough to secure a valuable first-leg advantage over the reigning Bundesliga champions ahead of the second-leg in Munich in a few weeks time. Speaking with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Lotito reflected on the importance of the win and shared his plans for the future of the club and his squad:
President, was it the best day of your tenure?
“It was certainly a great victory, but I would avoid making rankings. I have always believed that good work pays off in the long run. Certain successes are an important push to move forward. But certainly, we cannot stop to admire ourselves. Also because the championship is looming, and it will soon force us into a series of decisive commitments.”
All true. But you can’t deny that you had a lot of fun on Wednesday night.
“You know what the real satisfaction is? Not the victory, but seeing the Olympic Stadium full and united with the team. And seeing the fans happy at the end. It’s often said that the crowd is the twelfth man. On Wednesday, it really was, and it made the difference.”
The other eleven, the players who took the field and those who came on as substitutes, also did their duty to the fullest…
“Absolutely. They were simply perfect. They played with ardor, determination, but always maintaining extreme lucidity. And in the end, they deservedly won against one of the strongest teams in the world, backed by a club that generates 800 million a year.”
Beating Bayern seemed impossible, yet Lazio managed it. Eliminating them would be a stratospheric feat. How much do you believe in it?
“We’ll think about the return leg in three weeks. The first leg was played perfectly, and we’ll try to do the same in the return leg. But we mustn’t make the mistake of being distracted by that game. Because in the championship, we have delicate and important challenges ahead.”
Indeed. Bologna, Turin, Fiorentina, and Milan are the obstacles to overcome before going to Munich.
“I’ll just say one thing: we face these matches with the same spirit with which we played against Bayern. If we can do that, we can go far.”
And maybe return to the Champions League next season.
“The club and the team are united in fighting for this goal.”
After the match against Bayern, Maurizio Sarri hoped for a further small leap in quality so that things could go even better.
“I agree. But the leap in quality shouldn’t be made only by the club; everyone should do it, including the players and the coaching staff.”
Speaking of players. How far along are the contract renewals? Especially Anderson, whose contract is expiring?
“The dialogue continues, and the club has been clear with everyone. We hope to come to an agreement. And this also applies to Felipe.”
Meanwhile, you and your collaborators are also working on other fronts.
“Yes, we are expanding the Formello sports center. We have acquired new land, and now there is space to build more training fields, but also a hotel and a swimming pool. It will be one of the best training centers in Europe. We will have the opportunity to host the Lazio women’s team and all the youth sector teams.”
The fans want the Flaminio to be the home of Lazio. Is this a dream that can become a reality?
“It’s a project we’re working on. It’s not easy because there are many constraints to overcome, many issues to resolve, from covering the facility to its capacity. I can’t promise those who love Lazio that the Flaminio will be the new stadium, but I can assure you that we will do everything possible to make it happen.”
