Lotito Finalizing Reggina Takeover – What Happens to Lazio in Case of Serie C Promotion? | OneFootball

Lazio patron Claudio Lotito is on the cusp of acquiring Reggina, a club that hit rock bottom after being demoted to Serie D.

The Background

The 69-year-old has been Lazio’s owner and president since 2004, but his relationship with the club’s fanbase is at its all-time low. With the team failing to qualify for Europe for the second year in a row, and the squad undergoing a downsizing, the organized fan groups have taken a stance against the increasingly unpopular owner, refusing to attend the club’s home matches until he departs.

Claudio Lotito on the Verge of Buying Reggina

But while the supporters were hoping for a sale, Lotito has, on the contrary, decided to buy a new club. According to several sources in the Italian press, including Il Corriere dello Sport, the lawyer has reached an agreement in principle to purchase Reggina from its majority owner, Nino Ballarino. He is expected to invest a figure between €1.5 and €2 million.

While the senator’s post at the Calabrian club remains unclear, his son, Enrico Lotito, will likely assume an important role. Lucchese’s General Director, Andrea Gianni, will be brought in as well.

Lotito Will Have to Choose Between Lazio & Reggina

This certainly wouldn’t be the first time Lotito buys a second club. In 2011, he purchased Salernitana, but was forced to sell the club when they were promoted to Serie A in 2021. But as the source explains, the regulations have changed in 2022, preventing the same person or entity from owning two clubs in the professional divisions (Serie A, B, and C), even if they weren’t in the same tier.

Therefore, if Reggina were to secure promotion to Serie C by the end of next season (which is the club’s obvious objective), Lotito would have to sell either the Amaranto or Lazio within a year, or effectively by June 2028.