Hotel rebuts ‘unfair’ remarks by Catania’s Lo Monaco

Italian 'Serie A' squad Catania Calcio ended their Malta winter camp amid controversy last night, slandering a reputed hotel as club directors fought out a financial issue with their own Italian agents.

Catania departed Malta last night, a day earlier as expected after the club's director Pietro Lo Monaco hit out at Le Meridien Hotel over what he alleged as "scandalous" treatment that the team was granted by the staff and administration.

Lo Monaco addressed the media shortly after he had an argument with a representative of the Rome-based agents Media Sport Events S.p.A. over the bill to be paid for the team and their families stay.

According to sources, the issue with the hotel started when the team arrived last week and the hotel asked to swipe card details of each member of the entourage.

Lo Monaco objected to the card swipe and insisted that the Media Sports Events foot the entire bill, not knowing that before his team's arrival, Media Sports Events had entered a contract with Le Meridien Hotel who were told to make sure to swipe the cards and charge for extras to be consumed.

Lo Monaco wanted that the whole amount be settled by Media Sports Events and that no member of his entourage be made to pay for anything.

The Catania Calcio's director's comments during yesterday's press conference came as a surprise to Le Meridien Hotel general manager Franco Vella, who told MaltaToday that his establishment has been caught between two quarrelling parties.

"Le Meridien was contracted by Media Sports Events to host Catania Calcio, and we are more than surprised to have been insulted as giving  scandalous treatment to the team, when we not only gave them what was requested, but also went beyond what was asked of us," Vella said.

Lo Monaco's comments have been relayed to the hotel's mother company Starwood in New York who are considering taking legal action against the outspoken and controversial Sicilian personality.

Contrary to Lo Monaco's comments, Le Meridien Hotel has hosted a long list of football teams and acquired respect from the sporting world, including football giants Juventus F.C., who even took the hotel's main chef to their Turin retreat for some time.

Meanwhile, another Italian football club Torino F.C. returned to Italy after winter camp in Malta yesterday, displaying a grand 'Thank You' to Malta on their official website.