Why are Lazio playing in a near-empty stadium?

The divide between the Lazio ownership and fans is hardly a new phenomenon, with fan boycotts of the Olimpico taking place sporadically over the past decade.

Even last season footage of fans praying to God to remove the club president went viral on social media.

But frustration has built over the sale of key players and the club's subsequent drop off in the league.

"Fans are boycotting and not coming to games, but never as bad as this particular moment, says Basten, who has been supporting the club for over 50 years.

After winning the Coppa Italia in 2022 and the Italian Super Cup in 2017 and 2019, and finishing second in the 2022-23 Serie A season, many feel the club has stagnated before a proposed move to a new stadium in 2032.

Fan favourites Ciro Immobile, Luis Alberto, Felipe Anderson and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic have all departed and not been replaced by high-quality players, with the ownership conserving funds.

In January the club sold last season's joint-top goalscorer Taty Castellanos to West Ham, with former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi also departing - leading to the tension among the fanbase bubbling to the surface.

The club bought Kenneth Taylor from Ajax, brought in Daniel Maldini on loan and signed striker Petar Ratkov from Red Bull Salzburg, despite Sarri saying he "did not know" the Serb and had not watched him play.

"The fans believe that if they don't go to the stadium, they will force Lotito out and he will be forced to sell the club," says Basten.

"'Don't go to the stadium, show the world that the fan is the boss and must be central to the project.'"

"But changing the manager, changing a player, changing a media consultant in a club is easy because you can force that in some way or form. Presidency and sale of the club is a little bit more complex."