European giants face playing in front of empty stadium with thousands of fans BOYCOTTING against controversial owner

LAZIO are at major risk of playing in front of a near-empty stadium as thousands of fans threaten a boycott against the team’s owner. The European giants’ season ticket renewals have plummeted ahead of the 2026-27 Serie A campaign. The Stadio Olimpico could be empty for the start of this season Credit: Getty Head coach Maurizio Sarri looks on during a Lazio training session Credit: Getty Just over 2,000 season tickets have been renewed by fans, as per Corriere dello Sport as they vent their frustrations about owner Claudio Lotito’s management of the team. The sales are in stark contrast to the 29,918 season tickets that Lazio sold during the summer of 2025. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! Now the 70,634-capacity Stadio Olimpico in Rome faces being empty for the team’s first home game against Genoa next month. It follows years of stability among the club’s season ticket sales. Lazio finished ninth in Serie A last season, marking their joint-worst result since 2010. Lotito, 69, saved the Serie A club from bankruptcy in 2004. But he has become an increasingly controversial figure in Italian football. He was banned for several months as part of a match-fixing scandal in 2006. Most read in Sport BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS It will be a far cry from this Champions League match between Lazio and Bayern Munich Credit: Reuters The owner has faced criticism for selling several top players including prolific goal-scorer Taty Castellanos, 27, to West Ham. Lotito publicly clashed with head coach Maurizio Sarri, 67, last season. This resulted in Sarri tearing up his contract with Lazio and joining rivals Atalanta. A previous boycott came as Stadio Olimpico was left empty for Lazio’s 3-2 win against Genoa in January. Fans hope that their boycotts will force Lotito to sell the club. Lazio will open their 2026-27 Serie A campaign away to Bologna on Monday, August 24. Comment now