Arrigo Sacchi once said that "Football is the most important of life's unimportant things."
It's a view shared by many of his compatriots, which explains why there is such intense interest in the attempts to salvage the 2019-20 Serie A season from the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. It also explains why football is sometimes taken far too seriously.
On Monday, Giovanni Rezza of the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS) made what he thought was an innocuous joke when he quipped that he would cancel the current campaign because he's a Roma fan and city rivals Lazio are fighting for the title.
Rezza's attempt at humour was sandwiched in between a "technical opinion" rooted in science and facts – but that made no difference to some. The Roma revelation was deemed sufficient evidence with which to justify calling the director's professional integrity into question.
"Sometimes being a fan also affects scientists and gets to their heads,” Lazio spokesperson Arturo Diaconale told Adnkronos. "They are experts who would be much more useful if, instead of concerning themselves with issues like football, found a way to effectively deal with the virus.
"Scientists are scientists, not fans. It would be really welcome if, instead of fuelling football controversy that isn’t needed, they devoted all their energy to finding a cure or vaccine that can stop the infection."
It was quite the rebuke but wholly unsurprising. Diaconale is renowned for his strong views. He has long claimed that Lazio are demonised in the press – not least because of an allegedly prominent right-wing element among their supporters – and his view has only strengthened during the Covid-19 crisis.
“There is an anti-Lazio conformity based on prejudice against our club, which forces me to be the voice that stands out from the crowd,” Diaconale told Radiosei.
“All the media move in unison to criticise Lazio and club president (Claudio) Lotito. Whatever the Lazio fans do, they are called nasty and horrible. The prejudice is totally unjustified and I’ve been battling against it for some time.
“It’s true that I am Lotito’s spokesman, but I also express my own views and those of the club as a whole. Lazio as a club is 120 years old and deserves more respect.”
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Lotito, though, has upset a lot of people – and not just in the sporting press – because of his very open drive to ensure that the 2019-20 season resumes. Given more than 500 people are dying on a daily basis in Italy, it's not been a good look for the Biancocelesti president during a brutal period for one of the countries worst affected by the pandemic.
It's not as if most stakeholders and supporters don't want football to return as soon as it's safe to start playing matches again. However, some believe that Lotito is letting Lazio's involvement in the title race cloud his judgement.
The Biancocelesti have won just two Scudetti in their entire history but, as it stands, they sit second in Serie A, just one point behind Juventus with 12 games remaining. Simone Inzaghi's side still have to travel to Turin but there is no reason why such a trip should hold any fears for a side that has already beaten the Bianconeri 3-1 twice this season, first in the league and then in the Supercoppa Italiana.
In addition, Lazio were the form team in Italy before the enforced suspension of play, on the longest undefeated run in the club's history with a run of 17 wins from 21 games since the end of September.
Striker Ciro Immobile had played a pivotal role in their history-making form, with the Italy striker on course to break Gonzalo Higuain's single-season goals record (36) by netting 27 times in just 26 appearances to date.
However, there were other key contributors: Francesco Acerbi was doing a sensational job replacing Stefan de Vrij in defence; Sergej Milinkovic-Savic had rediscovered the form that made him one of the most sought-after midfielders in the world; while former Liverpool flop Luis Alberto was leading the league for assists, with 12.
Inzaghi, meanwhile, was being touted as a genius for engineering a title challenge with a club that hasn't managed even a top-four finish since 2015.
This is not a wealthy club either. Lazio haven't featured in the top 30 of Deloitte's Football Money League since 2014 (28th). The days of signing Marcelo Salas, Christian Vieri and Juan Sebastian Veron are long gone.
There is, therefore, no guarantee that Lazio could replicate their form next season. No guarantee that Immobile could make history again. No guarantee that Acerbi has another colossal campaign in his 32-year-old legs. No guarantee that the much-coveted Milinkovic-Savic, Luis Alberto or even Inzaghi will still be at the Stadio Olimpico come the autumn. This really does feel like a case of 'now or never' for Lazio, which sets them apart from most of the other title challengers in Europe's 'Big Five' leagues.
Liverpool, of course, are desperate for the season to resume. They are 25 points clear in the Premier League and haven't won a top-flight title for 30 years.
Yet Jurgen Klopp's European champions are a formidable outfit, they will be back next season, bidding for a 19th championship. Lazio would likely have to wait far longer to put themselves back into contention for what would be just their third Scudetto. Lotito clearly knows all this, so he is doing everything he can to persuade others to support the resumption of play.
At a meeting of club presidents at the tail end of March, Lotito was quoted by Tuttosport as telling his peers, “Have you seen the data? [The virus] is going away! But I would know, I speak with the experts, the ones on the front line, not with the doctors of the football teams." Juventus counterpart Andrea Agnelli allegedly replied, sarcastically, "Of course, you have now become an expert virologist..."
To be fair to Juve, they do not want to be awarded the title just because they presently top the table.
Although, the cynics – of which there are many in Italian football – do not see that as an admirable stance by the Bianconeri, merely one totally in keeping with a club that still refuses to acknowledge that they were stripped of two Scudetti due to their involvement in 'Calciopoli'.
Italian Football Federation (FIGC) Gabriele Gravina has repeatedly insisted that the season will resume but that didn't stop Lazio spokesperson Diaconale from threatening legal action if its voided.
“If this campaign does not come to a natural conclusion, the next will be ruined as well, because the matter would end up in the courts and tribunals,” the director of communications told TMW Radio. “I hope the pitch decides who wins, who loses, who goes to heaven and who into hell.”
Again, unnecessarily and inappropriately strong language that does nobody any favours at this time, least of all Lazio.
Inzaghi's free-flowing, free-scoring side had become quite the hit with the with neutrals before the break.
It would, therefore, be a shame if they lost some supporters when the league does eventually resume because of the insensitive actions – and words – of those supposedly protecting the best interests of their club.