A possible buyer for Lazio

[MarieL]

23:36 Roman real estate tycoon Matteo Corsini is ready to buy cash-strapped Lazio as part of a bid for Italian food group Cirio, the Serie A club's crisis-hit parent company, but only if the conditions are right.

Cirio said on Thursday its board had signed off on a turnaround plan that includes the sale of Lazio, which has already had to let top players like defender Alessandro Nesta and striker Hernan Crespo leave.

Corsini told Reuters he was interested in taking over Lazio, who are fourth in Serie A and through to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup, if he could get approval for building a new stadium, with attached shopping and entertainment venues.

'Lazio has a value if it is made part of a commercial project,' he said. 'We have the land and the necessary real estate experience to do this.'

Lazio made a net loss of 55.1 million euros in the seven months to January 31 and plans to cut player wages by as much as 50 percent next season.

Corsini said possible partners for his bid could include Italian turnaround guru Roberto Colannino, who staged Olivetti's 1999 takeover of Telecom Italia, and a U.S. private equity firm.

Stock market analysts have said Cirio could also interest food multinationals such as Nestle, which already owns Italian pasta maker Buitoni and chocolate firm Perugina.

Cirio, whose pasta sauces line supermarket shelves from Brazil to Singapore, last year failed to meet a bond payment deadline, bringing down its chief executive, pushing it into the hands of bankers and sending its shares into a tailspin.

Outlining its rescue plan, the group's board on Thursday said Lazio was up for sale as the group retreats to home turf with a focus on food.

'Cirio...states that the new industrial plan and financial relaunch yesterday approved by the board takes into account and confirms the divestment of the group's sport ventures that include its 35.89 percent stake in the registered capital of SS Lazio,' the statement said on Thursday.

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This is interesting, especially the part about building a new stadium with attached shopping and entertainment venues. I can almost picture it...all white and blue!

[ahmed]

he is better than baraldi at least

[sslazioMelopez]

If he really is the new boss , then the pay cut of 50% is real then. By that time how many current player will stay with us huh!!!!!!!!!

[Darran]

Well those players who truly love Lazio and want to help Lazio will stay. Players like Stankovic, Stam and Fiore I am pretty sure they will stay

[sslazioMelopez]

But still we will be lack of firing power up front and some player is ageing fast. the average age of the squad is currently 29. but stii i think we need to pump in new blood. chiesea is good but still is getting old , simone inzaghi get injure now and then & not playing regular. So we need to get some player in as we will most likely be playing in the champions league next season.

[Darran]

Yes I know our squad is ageing and we need new players. But at the moment we need to clear our debts and then invest in new players. As for the CL spot, after the 1-1 draw, it would be very difficult to win that CL spot unless we can improve our current form. We must now hope that Milan beats Chievo.

[sslazioMelopez]

Darran , A Draw is enough and the best workout , U see Now chievo is still behind us & ac milan still possible for us to catch right ?



LAZIO Rul3Zz !!!

[Darran]

Yes it is much easier as Milan have dropped points but don't forget Chievo, Udinese and Parma are fast closing in. If we don't win any soon, we could be languishing in 7th spot, the Intertoto cup spot.

[sslazioMelopez]

Our away form is good , But why can`t we focus more at HOME and try to win more home game. if our HOME form is as good as away , hia hia hia THE SCUDETTO is back to ROME but in the colour of Sky Blue .

[Darran]

Its a dream which will never come true with all the referees who are trying to bring us down by favouring the other teams, get what I mean?

[sslazioMelopez]

Cos we are letting alot of player leaving without REPLACING THEM ! where the hell u see real madrid letting Raul go or maybe Owen leaving Anfield ?? iN THE past season we had seen Veron leaving for Man u , Nedved to Juventus and the most unlikely Nesta going to rivals Ac milan. if we are in serious contend to be with the Best no matter in our league or Europe , we must hold back the good player and buy 1 or 2 to strengthen the squad. For example , Manchester doesn`t sell good one out , they only buy player who are young and look promising ! the only player they depart with are mostly aging . It really hurt me when Nesta left for ac milan cos to me his like a part of lazio who like us , no matter what happen we will be behind them!

[Darran]

This is a huge problem indeed that Lazio are facing, selling players without getting them replaced. The issue is that we are in a huge debt and also that the wages are too high and we don't have the neccessary finances to sustain it, get what I mean? Moreover, over the years, the economy of football is deteoriating and we were the worst hit as UEFA reported a 200% turn over in wages for Lazio, the worst hit club in the whole world. But I fancy once we have solved our debts and get a new owner as well as get a 50% cut on the wages, we would be able to get players but I fancy it would be young, talented but not expensive players. We won't be getting players like Metzelder, Chivu, Mexes, Cisse.....etc Probably players like Boskovic , Pletikosa ....etc , those players who are from eastern europe. Their value isn't as high as their potential has not been fully developed.

[valdanito_10]

with some luck and a good financial background to keep the morale up would be enough to convcert lazio into those serie a giants we were omnce were

[MarieL]

For me Lazio doesn't have to be a giant club as long as we have changes of compete with the giants fair and square. We haven't lost to any of the big clubs this season and we even managed to beat Juve on their own turf. As long as we can keep on doing that I'm happy. I just want someone to buy us and soon. Anyone! There's gotta be someone willing to own a football club!

[sslazioMelopez]

I know what u all guys are thinking , But it a fact that no one can change ! Now we need to win the UEFA Cup & a champion league spot in order to get the $$$ we need. No doubt tat if we are going to play in the CL next season , we need to buy 1 or 2 player to strengthen the team first. About the new boss i hope he will plan to built a new stadium for the club and by then we laziali will have a place to call it our REALLY OWN HOME.


*Form is Temporary
Class is Forever


L@ZiO RuL3Zz*

[valdanito_10]

iwnjoy sharing olimpico with rioma!, maybewe can purchase it together

[Darran]

I don't like sharing a stadium with a team I consider a bastard team. They think they own the stadium when it was Lazio who owned the stadium first as we were founded much earlier. I think a new stadium would grant us more income than sharing

[sslazioMelopez]

HA HA HA !! Darran is right . where the earth got people want to share a place wif others . Chinese had a phrase saying tat " IN ONE MOUNTAIN , THERE CANT BE 2 TIGER HIDING" wats more , roma is a wolf.

[Darran]

I like that phrase a lot, in short it simply means the Olimpico can't have both teams

[valdanito_10]

tjhe intemnsiopn of a lazio roma derby increases if we shars stadiums, im not sayingf i oile merda but its great for derbies and prove who isthe best olimpico ourfit

[sslazioMelopez]

Maybe we can built a stadium nearby , the fight will still be on whose the best team in ROME ! like manchester united and manchester city , wow wat a dream come true.

[Darran]

I don't mind sharing a stadium with Merda but I just can't stand how Riomanistas come up to us and say we own Olimpico. That is a total insult, where were they when we were founded? They were probably not even born and they have the nerve to say that they own Olimpico?

[MarieL]

Well we haven't played at Olimpico all our history.
But the reason I wouldn't mind having our own stadium is that we could build all these Lazio related things like shops and so on nearby. That would be a great way to get more money. I mean Lazio Point is so far from the stadium that the not tifosi spectators probably just buy cheap shirts from super markets.

[valdanito_10]

romanisit can say all they want!

[Darran]

Its as though they steal what we have achieved during our 103 years history. Its an insult to us and to football, they have achieved nothing so far and they want to steal what we have, typical of Riomanistas

[valdanito_10]

and what exactly is that Darran!

roma have been historywise moresuccessful than us!

Forza Lazio

[Darran]

No that isn't true. They claim that they are the first club in Rome when in actual fact they are not, I can't believe how they can say that

[valdanito_10]

thats when aperson is stupid and ignorant its a different case. a typical romanisti u can call it

[Darran]

I suppose all Romanistas are lame and stupid, not forgetting they are childish and gay. Looking at the way they run and the way their jerseys are designed says it all.

[valdanito_10]

hahaha Darranu have some pretty unique comments.

[Darran]

Unique in what sense Juan?

[MarieL]

Darran, I don't like you offending gay people!

[sslazioMelopez]

Lazio’s financial worries could be solved by an oil baron from Bahrain, according to recent reports.


The Biancocelesti are this week discussing their future and the urgent need to raise the capital, but new buyers have not been forthcoming.


The story emerged after a close collaborator of the Sheikh of Bahrain was spotted at the Formello training ground and again at lunch with Andrea Cragnotti, the son of former Lazio President Sergio Cragnotti.


The Cragnotti family, and their company Cirio, still owns just over fifty per cent of the club shares and threw Lazio into financial chaos when Cirio failed to pay back a loan.


It is claimed that the Sheikh wishes to buy shares in Cirio, and therefore could help Cragnotti take back control of the Roman outfit.


Tis Msg is from www.lazioworld.net date:30-03-03

Really hope some one will buy us soon and ease our pain.:(

[valdanito_10]

unique? why do u say romanisti are gay?

[Darran]

Well everybody knows that. The way they run is like sissies in case you didn't notice how Totti runs, and the jersey they wear, it reflects their character.

[gnlvagosov]

According to the latest gossip from the Italian capital, the Sheik of Bahrain is considering pumping some of his oil money into cash-strapped Lazio.

The Sheik's chief representative was allegedly seen at the Formello training ground and out for lunch with Andrea Cragnotti - the son of former Lazio President Sergio Cragnotti – after that. The Cragnotti family still own just over fifty per cent of the club shares.

In other Biancoceleste news, Pierluigi Casiraghi is reportedly poised to sign a deal that will see him become a youth team coach at the club he formerly starred at. The ex-Italy international left Lazio to join Chelsea in 1999, only to have his career cut short by a horrible knee injury.

[Darran]

It is great news that Lazio has attracted an oil baron but I am not sure how true this news is. I prefer not to jump to conclusions at all or be excited over this news. Once this is official, then that is the time I will be excited

[romansky]

Right, there have been so many rumours for months, last time it was the Swiss billionaire who's yacht won the America's Cup, he's a laziale & definitely has the money yet nothing has come of it apparently? It's still a very precarious time for the club, late last week there were even hints that Cragnotti would return since Cirio is technically still the majority shareholder. Whatever happens it needs to be before the end of the campionato so we can think about keeping players like Stam, Claudio, Deki, Cesar, etc. otherwise they all could be gone this summer :(

[sslazioMelopez]

If we are really going to sell most of the first eleven player , then who is going to play the champion league`s game for us next season?:dontcare:

[Darran]

If we were to lose all our star players, we would become like Parma or even worse. Frankly, we are much weaker than Parma without our stars, we don't have players like Cannavaro, Bonera, Adriano, Mutu, Nakata, Ferrari in our team.

[valdanito_10]

i hope we get a new owner fast, i dont want to htake another horrible season like the one beofre this one! and mancio has to stay, without mancio honbestly weare alot lessthan any other serie a club

[MarieL]

You'd think that the rich laziali would by the club coz they don't want it to go down. That is if they truly are laziali! I don't know what they're waiting for. If I had even one million more than they ask for I would by it without a doubt!

[sslazioMelopez]

It simple for us to talk as we are not in the circle itself. Buying a club is the same as doing business . maybe others who is intersted will look at it for a while more before making a decision. who will want to buy a club when he knows tat the moment he step in , he must fork out a big lump sum and dont even know when will be the time to be rewarded?what we think is on our own mind cos we doesn`t have the $$$ to buy it ? who know if one day we had the money we will think twice first.:confused:

I am a true laziale and hope tat my club will come over it.
*not provoking anyone ok ? but try putting yourself in the shoe of the possible buyer and think about it.

[MarieL]

Yeah I know what you mean, but this is just so damn frustrating! The richer a person is the more money he wants to make, and the truth is that Lazio's effect on businesses is not gonna be positive. At least at first.

[Darran]

sslaziomelopez is right, if we were in the shoes of the owner, we have to consider a lot of things like whether this investment we are making will bring us money or needs more pumping of money. I guess the only thing we Laziali can do is to wait and hope for the best.

[sslazioMelopez]

Hope the future owner will come in soon , as i am still hoping tat Lazio will try getting Santa Cruz for us next season . Claudio Lopez + Roque Santa Cruz = THE BEST FOWARD FORMATION OF EUROPE.:evil:

[Darran]

Well personally I wouldn't recommend that partnership simply because Santa Cruz and Claudio are not physically strong players and if we were to come against the likes of Campbell...etc, it would be very difficult to score.

[valdanito_10]

it will be very hard toget ourhand on santacruz

[Darran]

That would be another thing to consider as well. Santa Cruz will definitely fetch a very high price and I don't think Mancini will be making any top name signings even if we get a new owner.

[sslazioMelopez]

I think is jus the $$$problem . phyiscally strong player like Hesky of liverpool is jus use to knock the ball down for owen to score. hesky himself is having a bad spell tis season. But unlike Lopez & santa cruz partnership will open defence up with their pace and finishing. jus look at liverpool now and all of u will know the outcome of having a Big Bear to be a striker .

Owen + Hesky = pace & Physically strong = 5 goal
Roy Makay + Tristan= pace & skill= 10 goal
*Lopez + Santa Cruz =pace +pace = ??????:dazed:

[Darran]

True enough the pace of Cruz and Lopez would be deadly. But if you wanna compare, look at Crespo when he was at Lazio? 26 goals in 32 games, isn't it fantastic, moreover he was with Lopez but unfortunately, Lopez had an injury which kept him out for most of the season.

[sslazioMelopez]

No doubt about tat , Crespo has good finishing . Maybe im wrong darran , but i think communication is the key ? u agree wif me ?

Henry+Wiltord= the french connection :D
Lopez+Crespo=argentina connection:D
Hesky+Owen=:confused: maybe the two of them from difference planet.

[Darran]

In my opinion, it does not need to be connection, look at Lopez and Corradi this season, if I am not wrong, they have scored more than 15 goals together.