Now it will be up to the FIGC to safeguard the seriousness of the Italian football system by avoiding tricks and dribbling that circumvent the rules and at the same time protecting the right acquired on the pitch by the city of Salerno to see their team in Serie A. Claudio Lotito’s move to the the end was announced, namely to take time through the establishment of a trust that will allow the current ownership of Salernitana to sell the club’s ownership at a satisfactory price. However, for the six months that will be necessary to complete the transfer process (provided that suitable offers arrive), the FIGC will have to ensure that there are no abuses and compliance with the principle, enshrined in Article 16 bis of the Noif, is ensured for which two teams actually belonging to the same person cannot compete in the same championship.
The Salernitana 2021 trust
At the deadline set by the FIGC for 25 June, the ownership of Salernitana – whose shares are held by the Omnia Service companies (of Enrico Lotito, son of the patron of Lazio) and Morgensten (of Marco Mezzaroma, Lotito’s brother-in-law) – went to a trust. Federal regulations, in addition to direct participation in two militant clubs in the same category, also prohibit the participation of relatives or kindreds within the fourth degree. “In compliance with the requirements of the Italian Football Federation – reads the note issued a few hours after the deadline indicated by the FIGC by the Campania club – Omnia Service Srl and Morgenstern Srl declare that they have transferred their respective shareholdings equal to the entire capital company of US Salernitana 1919 Srl to the Salernitana 2021 trust aimed at the sale of the aforementioned equity investments. General Ugo Marchetti was appointed as the new Sole Director of the US Salernitana 1919 ».
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Ugo Marchetti
The new sole director of Salernitana is not a new name in the sports news. In 2017, in fact, it was one of the profiles presented by Claudio Lotito as possible candidates for the presidency of the Serie A. On the occasion, he was unable to collect the 14 votes necessary for the election and since then he has not been associated with the world of football. In June 2010 he was appointed Deputy Commander General of the Guardia di Finanza and in December of the same year he was appointed advisor to the Court of Auditors. He was also councilor for the budget of the Municipality of Palermo from 21 May to 17 August 2012. Now he will be the trustee of Salernitana, awaiting the final go-ahead from the FIGC, which received on the evening of 25 June the pec attesting the establishment trust Salernitana 2021.
The next deadline
At the end of the meeting on May 17, the Federal Council had invited Lotito “to put an end to these situations of direct or indirect control in companies of the same category”, indicating as a deadline for the termination of the timeshare “30 days from the notification of this resolution and in any case no later than 3 days before the deadline set by federal regulations for filing the application for admission to the 2021/22 Serie A Championship ». The deadline for registration starts on Monday 28, but the official resolution of the FIGC on the Salernitana trust will not be known by that date, because we will have to wait for the opinion of Covisoc and then the final decision of the Federal Council on admissions to the championships. A green light that appears to be taken for granted, at least according to the Lazio lawyer and Claudio Lotito.
Lotito’s lawyer
«The blind trust was with the stakes imposed by the FIGC. Any interference by Lotito and Mezzaroma was avoided. The trustee are two companies authorized by the Bank of Italy. There are two guardians: one from Lotito and one from Mezzaroma. Guardians have no powers. There is a new director who is the company. Then, there are the partners represented by a trust. Salernitana turns to the trust, ”he explained Gianmichele Gentile, lawyer of Lazio and Claudio Lotito, at Radio Punto Nuovo. «The administrator will agree with the partners. Money was paid with the trustees for the management of the company. Tough 6 months, starting yesterday, the Salernitana must be sold. The trustee will have to make an economic evaluation of the company. He must establish what the social shares are worth. It does not sell them if the Salernitana will not interest anyone. Lotito cannot intervene. Now, due diligence will be done by the trust. The only relationship allowed with the old property is on player loan. Gravina has authorized everything. Salernitana can buy players from Lazio. The basic philosophy: we must avoid any kind of contact between the Lazio property and the new management of the Salernitana trust. Both the coach and the management will decide the trust. The trustee will organize the daily life of the company and will tell the administrator. In December, when the trust’s mandate expires, whoever buys the club will decide whether to go ahead with that management or to change it ».