Judgement day looming for Roman clubs

Covisoc, the Serie A finance authority, last night warned AS Roma and S.S. Lazio that they have six days to meet various financial requirements or they will be banished from the forthcoming Italian league season.

Two days to appeal
Six Serie B teams, including AC Fiorentina and SSC Napoli, and 15 in the third tier of Italian football were also given until 29 July to get their finances in order or they face exclusion. All the teams have two days to appeal against the Covisoc ruling and all will do so if they want to participate in the upcoming season which begins on 1 September.

Stream of warnings
The unprecedented stream of warnings comes as Italian football faces a serious cash crisis, with hefty transfer fees and wages leaving many teams facing huge debts. Fiorentina, relegated from Serie A last season, appear to be the most at risk of not getting their house in order in time for the September start. But it is the possible expulsion of Roma and Lazio, Scudetto winners in 2001 and 2000 respectively, which has shocked Italy.

Mayor appalled
"It is unimaginable for the championship to take place without the Roman clubs," said Walter Veltroni, the mayor of Rome. "Roma and Lazio have won two of the last three titles and provided some of the best players to the national team. They are teams that are representing Italy in the world of sport and without them there won't be a championship."

'In the end we'll pay'
Officials from Roma and Lazio, which are both listed on the Milan stock exchange, expressed anger at Covisoc's statement. Roma chairman Franco Sensi was quoted as saying: "Roma has so far refused to pay up because I want to know why we are being asked to pay three times more than Internazionale [FC] or Milan [AC]. "In the end we'll pay but first of all I want some explanations."

Breakdown in communication
Sergio Cragnotti, the chairman of Lazio, said there had been a breakdown in communications between Italy's various football authorities, adding that he had already explained fully his club's situation - a message he said Covisoc had not received. "What has happened today is very serious, above all because Roma and Lazio are listed on the Bourse and this way of doing things seriously risks undermining their shares," he said.

Drastic situation
A survey of Italian football finances last week showed that Serie A clubs made a combined operating loss of €702m last season. The drastic financial situation has even led some of Serie A's best-paid players, such as Inter triumvirate Ronaldo, Christian Vieri and Alvaro Recoba, to offer to take pay cuts.