Lazio released another statement accusing Keita Balde Diao of lying, being unprofessional and arrogant, threatening legal action.
The situation exploded on Saturday when the player said he was unavailable for the Serie A opener against Atalanta due to a knee injury.
Coach Simone Inzaghi declared in a Press conference that he was “stunned” by the behaviour, as medical tests came back negative, implying he was not “proud to wear the Lazio shirt.”
Lazio released another statement accusing Keita Balde Diao of lying, being unprofessional and arrogant, threatening legal action.
The situation exploded on Saturday when the player said he was unavailable for the Serie A opener against Atalanta due to a knee injury.
Coach Simone Inzaghi declared in a Press conference that he was “stunned” by the behaviour, as medical tests came back negative, implying he was not “proud to wear the Lazio shirt.”
Keita replied via Facebook with an angry message insisting he was injured and the club was trying to stir up controversy, which prompted a very sarcastic statement from team manager Angelo Peruzzi.
This morning the matter deteriorated with another statement released by Lazio.
“SS Lazio consider the behaviour of Keita Balde Diao to be unacceptable and damaging, as he decided to desert the first game of the season by blaming it on the excuse of a left knee injury.
“This appeared to Coach Simone Inzaghi and Angelo Peruzzi to be just an excuse, as it was unfounded from the examinations of orthopaedic medic Fabio Roda.
“The player Keita Balde Diao also made a series of incredibly aggressive and offensive statements against SS Lazio and its directors.
“All of this was evidently aimed at facilitating a transfer that guarantees the interests of his potential buyers and intermediaries, damaging Lazio and its fans.
“It is understandable that a young player of certain talent has the ambition to move up the ladder in his career. But in no case can this ambition be transformed into an act of unprofessional behaviour against the club he is under contract with for another two years.
“It cannot excuse a gesture of bad faith and arrogance towards his teammates and a show of disloyalty towards the fans who have the right to count on strongly motivated professionals representing the club values and colours.
“SS Lazio cannot allow the Keita situation to become a precedent in attempts to annul existing contracts and transform Lazio, the oldest club in the Capital, into a stepping stone rather than an ambitious target.
“The club intends to take legal action to defend its credibility and the faith of its fans.”