On May 25th, the stands of Lazio-Lecce hosted 55,000 fans, and Baroni’s team still harbored a remote hope of qualifying for the Champions League. At the final whistle, the Salentini celebrated their unexpected salvation, and the home team bid farewell to Europe after nine years. Just six months later, today promises a stadium at least halved and ghostly. Just over 6,000 tickets sold, likely the 29,918 season ticket holders will desert the seats at least halfway and remain between Ponte Milvio and outside the facility in protest against the club. On the day Lazio becomes the most managed team ever by Sarri (149 games), a semi-deserted Olimpico and an atypical atmosphere are expected. Without the support of the most fervent sections of organized fans, the team is called not to be influenced by the sui generis context: ‘No excuses!’ is the most repeated encouragement from the coach on the eve of the challenge to Di Francesco, who has earned 7 out of 10 points away from Puglia. INITIATIVES The teams will take the field with the now customary red mark on their faces, emblematic of the awareness campaign ‘A Red Card to Violence,’ which fights physical and psychological abuse against women. Lazio will add an extra gesture, authorized by the Lega Serie A: the club announces in a note that each player will wear ‘a special jersey with the name of a woman from their family.’ The unprecedented list of players already bore last night the names of grandmothers, mothers, wives, partners, sisters, or daughters that will appear on the jerseys of the 16 Biancocelesti. While the number of fans present remains uncertain, the contest to name the new eagle was a success (over 46,000 votes) and resulted in a landslide in favor of Flaminia (20,400), which doubled the Olympia option and distanced Vittoria. It will be presented at midfield at the end of the warm-up along with the new falconer, Giacomo Garruto, postponing the inaugural flight. The new living symbol of the club will thus recall the Roman priest devoted to the lighting of the sacred fire, echoing the name of the golden eagle already presented in Auronzo in July 2024 by former trainer Bernabé, who lived in Formello until January and attended official events of the Biancocelesti. Ten months after Olympia’s last show, the bird of prey will be welcomed in an unusually desolate scenario.
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