Footballer attacked in front of wife and four-year-old son

Veteran Lazio striker Ciro Immobile has been “physically and verbally attacked” in front of his family, according to reports.

US-based journalist Zach Lowy claimed on Friday that the Italian international was attacked outside of his four-year-old son’s school. Immobile is also understood to be considering legal action following the incident.

The news comes just days after Lazio parted company with Maurizio Sarri after a poor run of form. The former Chelsea manager was appointed in 2021 and inspired a second-placed finish last season.

However, results have nosedived in 2023-24, with Lazio sitting 11th in Serie A. The Eagles have lost their last four games across all competitions and were recently dumped out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich.

A 2-1 home defeat to 10-man Udinese was met with a chorus of boos at full-time - triggering the end of Sarri’s reign. The eccentric Italian summoned a team meeting in midweek and, following discussions with the squad, handed in his resignation.

Immobile’s agency are alleging that the Italian media “instigated this attack by spreading false and malicious rumours that he played a key role” in Sarri’s sacking. Lazio issued an official statement condemning the confrontation but, bizarrely, club president Claudio Lotito had little sympathy for the striker.

"It happens to me every day, I have lived under guard for 20 years,” he told the media. “Daily death threats to me and my family. What is the theme? I'm the president of a company with 8,000 employees, yet I don't make all this fuss, period. And that's all I'll say."