(CNN) -- Troubled by racism and corruption, Italian football's image took another turn for the worst after Lazio president Claudio Lotito revealed he had received "death threats" from scores of fans after selling star player Hernanes to Inter Milan. Hernanes, the Brazilian who arrived at Rome-based Lazio in 2010, swapped the Italian capital for Milan at the end of the January transfer window. "Yesterday, I received between 50 to 70 to 80 telephone calls from pseudo-fans, in which they asked me to leave Lazio and made death threats against me," Lotito told reporters. "I live under escort," he added. "The supporters are part of the club but now they have overstepped the mark."
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Lazio president Claudio Lotito receives death threats from fans
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Fans reacted angrily after Lotito sanctioned the sale of Hernanes to Inter Milan
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Hernanes joined Lazio in 2010, going on to make over 100 appearances
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The Brazilian was out of contract at the end of the current season
"It was @placeholder' decision to leave, so what could I do?"