Despite calls for Davide Ballardini’s head to be placed on a guillotine, the gaffer has the blessings of his bosses to remain at Lazio.

Club president Claudio Lotito has publically expressed faith in the man at the helm, and has instead suggested that perhaps the players should shoulder some of the blame.

Appearing on Lazialità in TV, a show broadcast on Teleroma 56 Lotito had this to say:

"Both the society and coach have done their job to prepare the side for every match.

But if [Tommaso] Rocchi doesn't score, nor [Mauro] Zárate, it is clear that matches cannot be won.

"The current climate does not help, since the dispute against me has never ceased.

"Even after we won the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa, the fans were quiet for a little while, but were awaiting to create new problems.

"Ballardini is not the problem.

"In February, there were calls for me to sack [former Lazio coach Delio] Rossi.

"It makes me laugh.

"The problem is inside the players' minds and not that of the coach.

"Aren't the examples of Atalanta, Livorno and Siena enough to see this?

"They have all changed coaches and are still down the bottom of the league, where they were before."

Roma play Lazio in the Derby della Capitale this weekend, it remains to be seen if the words of the president will spur the players on to redeem themselves.