Former Lazio director Angelo Peruzzi slams President Claudio Lotito and transfer chief Igli Tare. ‘He’s patronising and thinks he’s touched by God.’
The ex-goalkeeper clashed repeatedly with Lotito and Tare during their working relationship and matters came to a head when he walked away in the summer of 2021, after five years as team co-ordinator.
There had been an earlier split too, but the players convinced the club to bring Peruzzi back. When asked by RadioSei if that could happen again, the 51-year-old was certain on his position.
“That is never going to be a possibility, but it’s not because of me, it’s President Lotito who won’t have it,” said Peruzzi.
“He has 10,000 positive things about him, but also two very big defects: he is patronising and thinks he’s touched by God. These two defects completely destroy all the good elements.
“You might think that by revealing these defects, he might lower himself to call me, but he wouldn’t dare. I worked at that club for five years and think I achieved some good things there, but they didn’t even bother releasing a statement to say I’d gone.
“I was rather disappointed, because it means I was right to fear I didn’t count for anything at that club. Lotito has these issues and so does the other one who runs the club with him. They think that they know everything and everyone else is stupid.
“You don’t matter, because you’re not those two. You can’t work the way you want to in that scenario, so you may as well just leave.
“I told the President, if I need three permission slips to get a new coat of paint put on the door, that means I don’t run anything around here. I am a glorified usher.
“Look, I love Lazio like crazy, I was there over 10 years as player and director, but I wanted to do my work and that wasn’t going to happen. They made it clear I did not have any power.”