Serie A Club Salernitana Face Being Thrown Out Of The League Over Ownership Row
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Serie A side Salernitana could be thrown out of the league mid-season if a buyer for the club is not found before the end of the year, according to reports in Italy.
The Campania club, who were promoted to the top flight of Italian football last season, are facing expulsion over rules which ban an individual from owning two clubs in the same division.
Football Italia claim the issue is related to Lazio owner Claudio Lotito, who until the start of the season also owned Salernitana.
Lotito was instructed to sell Salernitana in the summer following their promotion to Serie A but was able to move the deadline to the end of the year by placing a trust in control of the club for six months.
Lotito was given until December 31 to find a buyer for the club but is yet to receive a formal offer, according to Italian news agency ANSA.
Salernitana are now facing the possibility of expulsion but it is not clear if the Italian FA will opt for such drastic measures even if the deadline is not met.
Speaking earlier this year before the deadline was moved, Italian FA president Gabriele Gravina said Lotito’s ownership of Salernitana “cannot continue”.
“President Lotito has enjoyed an exemption for many years and everybody knew what would happen,” Gravina told Italian radio station Radio Anch’io Lo Sport.
Salernitana are currently bottom of Serie A, having picked up just eight points from their opening 17 league games.
They have already played Lotito's other club Lazio once this season, with the match ending 3-0 to the Rome side.
Speaking ahead of the game, Lotito said he would be firmly supporting Lazio.
“Until proven otherwise, I am the president of Lazio and, therefore, there is no doubt that on Sunday I will support the team I own in the match at the Olimpico,” he said.
“I will be supporting Lazio, even if they took Salernitana away from me.”
