Società Sportiva Lazio

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Lazio Enter Samaras Frame

Celtic fans will hardly be happy to hear that Serie A side Lazio have become the latest outfit to join the queue of suitors for Greek striker Georgios Samaras

Samaras spent the second half of last season on-loan at Celtic from Manchester City and is set for a permanent departure from the City of Manchester Stadium this summer, with new manager Mark Hughes set to bring in his own players this summer.

Now, Lazio have reportedly joined the likes of Werder Bremen and Fenerbahce in the race to prise the 23-year-old to their club as they look to strengthen their squad in a bid to regain the title and launch another campaign in Europe, according to the Italian press.

Celtic reportedly remain in pole position to do a deal with City however for the Greek international, who joined them on loan in January and scored six goals for the Hoops as they mounted a strong late surge to retain the SPL title in a dramatic finish.

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[Carlo Romano]

Shite! Nice one, Andrew! (Messina, he's not taking the p*ss...)

Ahmed, don't you just love it when he slips out of serious mode every now and again...

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[Carlo Romano]

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[Carlo Romano]

Yeah, Ahmed, I can't see Lazio making a comeback as is. Cirio going down the drain screwed them big time!

Andrew, you sound like you have my sometimes problem. I'm not a slapstic humorist but a situation one and what gives a bigger handicap is that a computer page can't compensate for an in your face presence...

Still some of it gets across, thank goodness!

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[Mahdiano]

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Zarate happy with Lazio chance

Argentine striker Mauro Zarate admits he is looking forward to the prospect of playing for Lazio.

Zarate, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Birmingham City, is expected to finalise a move to Lazio from Al Sadd.

He had been tipped to return to the Premiershit, but instead is likely to sign a five-year contract with the Serie A club.

The youngster has researched a switch to the Stadio Olimpico and is confident that he will be suited to playing for Lazio.

Knows a lot

"I know a lot about Italian football because I always watch it on TV and most of all because I have spoken with Hernan Crespo and Lucas Castroman," Zarate told Radio La Red.

"They have both played at Lazio, so they have told me many things about the team.

"I am happy with this chance. I expect everything to get sorted out correctly.

"I don't have any problems in playing in any position as a striker. I can do it on the wing or in the middle. I am used to changing my position."

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Cribari aims for armband

Lazio’s Brazilian defender Emilson Cribari is hoping to sign a contract renewal at the Stadio Olimpico within the next few weeks.

[quote]The gutsy former Empoli man has been with the Biancocelesti since the summer of 2005 and has become a fixture at the heart of the defence.

And Cribari has made it clear that he has no intention of going in search of a new challenge.

“I spoke to Delio Rossi before I went to Brazil and I told him that I would commit to Lazio without asking the moon or a guaranteed starting place,â€

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Ledesma vows to leave Lazio

Source: http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 75,00.html

Cristian Ledesma will not renew his Lazio contract 'under any circumstances', according to his agent.

Ledesma's representative Vincenzo D'Ippolito recently angered Lazio president Claudio Lotito when he made public the midfielder's plans to leave the club via Fifa's Article 17 with a small fee in 2009.

D'Ippolito now claims he was due to meet Lotito late last week but the official failed to attend.

"I spoke to Lotito after the publication of my comments. He is very angry, but I would like to point out we had an appointment the other day," Lotito told Datasport.

"I waited until 16.30, but Lotito did not turn up. I called and he said he is the only one who decides on the contracts of his players.

"I informed Ledesma of what was said and that is when he told me he would not renew his contract under any circumstances."

Ledesma is understood to be unhappy with the fact that Lazio are still without a director of sport following Walter Sabatini's move to Palermo.
Options

The Argentine now wants to leave the club and D'Ippolito insists there are a number of interested clubs outside of Italy.

He said: "We will not back down. We gave Lazio a chance, but Lotito has not understood the kind of man Ledesma is.

"He is a professional and wanted to take a step towards the president to help out the club. We would have been happy with a private arrangement because he didn't want to start training without a contract renewal, but that is not the way it went.

"The way Article 17 is structured, we cannot use it to join another Italian club, so Ledesma must therefore look overseas.

"It's a shame, as in Italy he was of interest to Inter, Juventus and Fiorentina. Abroad we have Real Madrid and I spoke to Predrag Mijatovic, who is very impressed by the player.

"Villarreal and Atletico Madrid are also tracking him, so we have many options to choose from."

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Behrami Drawing Closer To Hammers Switch

Lazio wing-back Valon Behrami is reported to be on the verge of a switch to West Ham United, who are hoping they will not have to activate FIFA's infamous article 17...

Gianluca Nani, the Hammers' sporting director, has revealed that the London club are pushing to conclude a deal with Lazio for their want-away wing-back.

The Swiss international - who impressed at Euro 2008 playing in right wing - is rumoured to be ready to activate article 17 of FIFA's regulations, whereby a player who has been under contract for over three years can buy himself out of the remainder of his deal.

However Nani, who is thought to be the key man in bringing Behrami to Upton Park, is hopeful that no such last resort will have to be taken and is hoping to conclude a deal in the region of €7 million for the right-back.

"I hope the negotiation will be concluded," Nani told Italian press. "We have worked to do what is possible for a solution that doesn't consider Fifa article 17."
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This would be sad. I don't want to see another good player jump ship.

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Mafia Fail In Bid To Buy Lazio

It has been revealed in Italy that a notorious mafia organisation failed in an attempt to take over Lazio.

Lazio have endured a fall from grace in recent years, having almost gone bankrupt under former patron Sergio Cragnotti.

Claudio Lotito took over the club in 2004, stabilizing the finances and moving the club into the green. Despite this, Lotito is hugely unpopular with the Lazio tifosi, many of whom are desperate for him to relinquish control of the club.

It has now been revealed that a notorious Italian organised crime gang attempted to buy Lazio from Lotito, through third parties.

The Casalesi clan of the Camorra, who are the Naples version of the Mafia, were hoping to finance the deal with funds gained from violence and intimidation.

The plan came to light during a series of 10 arrests made by police in Rome in an operation known as ‘Broken Wings’.

Lazio had a desperately disappointing 2007/08 season finishing 12th in Serie A, being eliminated from the Champions League in the group stages, and failing to make it back into Europe for the coming campaign.

However, things look brighter for the new season, following the arrivals of South Americans Mauro Zarate, Juan Carrizo and Matuzalem, as well as the return of Pasquale Foggia.
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This sentence is hilarious.

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That man can't be serious!