Lazio came from two goals down to beat Venezia 3-1 at Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo, with Maurizio Sarri’s spirited win enough to maintain their 8th position. However, it was the Biancocelesti’s 3-1 win last weekend that has been making the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Lazio ultras targeted defender Francesco Acerbi after yesterday’s match with a note ‘to leave Rome’ due to his celebration that enraged Stadio Olimpico’s home crowd in last weekend’s victory.
Gli ultras contro #Acerbi. La #Lazio, si spera, farà esattamente in contrario di quello che chiedono loro pic.twitter.com/ZKzaMofBVq
— Giovanni Capuano (@capuanogio) December 23, 2021
Francesco Acerbi, upon scoring Lazio’s second goals, made a ‘shh’ gesture to a section of Lazio fans. This was after he came under criticism for not complying to Sarri’s tactical methods that saw him display sub-par performances during the club’s poor run of form recently.
Ultras #Lazio contro Acerbi: 'Uomo senza onore, via da Roma subito. Nessun perdono per chi tradisce' #VeneziaLazio https://t.co/GuRAxNAgg3 pic.twitter.com/BpCWvdZxHK
— calciomercato.com (@cmdotcom) December 22, 2021
Although Acerbi put in impressive displays against Genoa and Venezia most recently and even apologized on social media shorty after the events, Lazio ultras have now come forward with a stinging statement (via Football-Italia).
“Acerbi man without honour, leave Rome immediately. No forgiveness for those who betray! This is not just a slogan, but much more. It means that the fans are worth more than the players, that our flag is sacred!
Unfortunately, today’s players are too used to it and have never seen a proper protest. We protested against Chinaglia, Nesta and Mihajlovic (to name but three), monuments to our history. We went into the changing rooms at Tor di Quinto and Formello because some players, even players with a lot more honour than one from Chievo and Sassuolo, had disrespected us.
And we’re supposed to let pass the celebration and disrespect of a player who has shown that he despises an entire fanbase? Acerbi silenced the curva in the last match after months of support to the bitter end, Today he had the opportunity, as a man, to apologise under the guest sector occupied by 3000 Lazio fans.
‘nstead, at the end of the game, like a rabbit, while the other players came to cheer with us, he walked away. He backed out when a sincere apology would have sufficed. The fact that Acerbi is an important player in Lazio’s squad doesn’t matter to us. What matters to us is sweat, grit and respect. That’s why, as of today, Francesco Acerbi is no longer welcome here in Rome.
As long as he is here, he will be booed, In every game! “And who knows how many you’ve seen and how many you’ll see, sad players who never won”. Acerbi goaway!! Lazio Tifosi”
The 33-year-old joined Lazio from Sassuolo in the summer of 2018. He has appeared 160 times for the Biancocelesti between then and now, scoring 9 goals in the process.
The current streak of events will undoubtedly pose a huge dilemma to Sarri’s selection process for Lazio’s next game against Empoli.