Romagnoli bids Lazio fans farewell at mass anti-Lotito protest | OneFootball

Alessio Romagnoli confirmed he is leaving Lazio after four years, delivering his farewell during a mass protest against unpopular club president Claudio Lotito in Rome on Thursday.

According to The Laziali, organised groups led a march from Ponte Milvio to the Stadio Flaminio that was billed as the largest protest in Italian football history, with more than 20,000 supporters turning the city sky blue.

The demonstration drew public figures urging Lotito to sell, including singer Tommaso Paradiso and Lazio Region president Francesco Rocca, who spoke of his lifelong affection for the club.

At the Flaminio, organisers screened messages from former players backing the anti-Lotito cause, ending with Romagnoli confirming his exit. He thanked fans for their love, lamented not saying farewell at the Olimpico, and promised they would meet again soon, adding he would come to see them in the stands where he grew up.

In January he had already saluted fans at Lecce’s Via del Mare, expecting it to be his final Lazio outing before a proposed move to Al-Sadd fell through at the last moment, allegedly after Lotito asked him to forgo three months of salary.

The Qatari champions have since renewed their push and have seemingly reached the finish line this time. Lazio are expected to receive €three million for the Roman, whose contract was due to expire in one year.

Source: The Laziali