29.11.2015 22:35 h

Lazio lash out as Klose double chalked off

Lazio officials lashed out at Serie A match officials after German veteran Miroslav Klose saw a "perfectly valid" brace chalked off in a 1-0 defeat to Empoli on Sunday.

Klose found the net twice in the second half as Lazio launched a valiant fightback in a bid to level Lorenzo Tonelli's shock fifth-minute opener for the hosts.

But Klose was adjudged to have fouled Lukasz Skorupski when he slid in to kick the ball out of the keeper's hands on 65 minutes, then was ruled offside when he sent Alessandro Matri's delivery past the 'keeper two minutes from time.

Lazio sporting director Igli Tare was furious after a fourth defeat in their last five league games left Stefano Pioli's men in 10th position at 11 points behind leaders Inter Milan.

He claimed it was not the first time Lazio had been treated unfairly and said if things "stay the same then perhaps we might as well not show up next Sunday".

"What happened is very serious, for me both goals were perfectly valid," former Albania international Tare was quoted as saying in a web report by Gazzetta dello Sport.

"We have to stay calm and respect the work of the referees, but if we have to continue like this then we might as well not show up next Sunday. There was no doubt over the second disallowed goal."

Tare, who ended his playing career with Lazio, added: "We're very bitter... it's not the first game in which we've been subject to wrong refereeing decisions.

"Two good goals were disallowed. We play in a league that is already complicated enough, every point counts double and we don't deserve this kind of treatment."

Empoli's win moved Marco Giampaolo's men five points clear of the drop zone up to 12th.

Match-winner Tonelli felt the result was sound.

"It was a tough game with a lot of hard clashes and incidents in the penalty area so it's normal there's a few doubts, but I think the referee did a good job," he said.