Growth Decree, Lotito’s anger: They will now see the mistake they made

Lazio president Claudio Lotito has hit back following the decision to halt the Growth Decree in Italy, a move that has stunned many Serie A clubs.

The Growth Decree provided a tax break for those clubs who signed foreign players. It was expected to be extended, but that has now been put on hold, leading to a wave of criticism.

Lotito did not mince words while speaking to Notizie.com, he said, “They’ve done a great foolishness, they will see what kind of mistake they’ve made.”

He further pointed out the financial implications and questioned its impact on the competitiveness of the Italian football league. He argued, “This is not good because the state won’t collect the money. If you have a foreigner who pays taxes in Italy, it will be better than one who doesn’t come and doesn’t pay, right?”

“I want to see who comes to Italy now. In this way our championship will lose competitiveness,” he warned, reflecting on the potential long-term effects of this decision on attracting international talent to the Serie A.

Taking it further, referencing the last year’s performance of Italian clubs in Europe, Lotito expressed his concerns about the future. He stated, “Last year there were three teams in all three of the European finals, now I want to see what will happen.”

Feeling betrayed by the Italian Footballers’ Association (Aic), he ended saying, “It means that the next teams that will go to the Champions will be indicated by the Aic, it is they who have done everything to have it succumb, well done, well done”. This suggests a deep feeling of resentment towards the Association for their perceived role in this situation.