Fiorentina president Rocco Commisso has come forward with a scathing attack on the criticism regarding Vlahovic’s transfer to Juventus, and also gave his piece of mind on the player’s agent Darko Ristic. This arrives just days after Juventus fans mocked Fiorentina with a banner put up at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, essentially taking the war of words right to the enemy’s turf.
? Le parole del presidente Rocco Commisso.
? Ascolta Ora: https://t.co/gQUNcalD6D#fiorentina #forzaviola #commisso pic.twitter.com/C5S82x6CpL— ACF Fiorentina (@acffiorentina) February 1, 2022
Preceding this action by the Juventus ‘Vikings’ ultras group, the Curva Fiesole had bluntly revealed their thoughts in an open statement to Vlahovic, Commisso and Viola director Joe Barone for being greedy and not keeping up to the club’s historic traditions of retaining world-class talent.
Vlahovic moved to Turin in a high-profile €80m deal that infuriated the Fiorentini, as they accused Commisso and Vlahovic of being greedy for the finances involved. Instead, the club president believes that the transfer operation was an excellent deal that would have otherwise hurt Fiorentina’s finance books down the lane, when the club would have had to let the Serbian striker leave on a free transfer.
“Vlahovic’s agents were dishonest with us.
When I was in Florence, we were supposed to meet one more info to talk about a renewal but they asked for a salary of 8 million a year”
?️ Rocco Commisso pic.twitter.com/3lCv9COlsW
— Italian Football TV (@IFTVofficial) February 1, 2022
Vlahovic’s contract was set to expire in June 2023 and neither him nor his agent Ristic allowed things to flow smoothly, as they began demanding more than what Fiorentina could provide, including a huge commission as representative fee.
This speech is what Rocco Commisso parted with:
“I am very bitter and disappointed and for this I have to stop and reflect. I thought I had demonstrated with my behaviors and our actions what my principles and values are. I put all my energy and financial resources in favor of Fiorentina and Florence without holding back. The wickedness and the offenses that have occurred in recent days are not right and I cannot accept them. I will think about the choices I will have to make in the future,” he said with a heavy heart and critical tone.
“At the end of November, the doctors in America suggested that I not leave for Florence to treat myself, but I came anyway to give my contribution and try to make Dusan and his prosecutors think but as a result I only got more sick and angry. The last time we met with Vlahovic, he didn’t even say hello. For now, I have to think about my health, I don’t know when I’ll be back in Florence to be close to the team and our fans.”
Regarding Vlahovic’s transfer: “I understood that Dusan already had a deal (agreement, ed.). When Barone and Pradè returned from England with an offer, the prosecutors said no. Evidently they already had an agreement to stay in Florence until June and then ruin Fiorentina, perhaps expiring as Donnarumma, Kessie, Dybala, Mbappè and so on. This is happening more and more in football. They thought they were going to make themselves rich on the skin of Rocco and Fiorentina. The sale was a very good operation, for some it was even a masterpiece. We have €75m in revenues, so Vlahovic is worth 100% of our revenues.”
“Dusan ruffled them, I came back to close this contract in November. The prosecutors, however, were dishonest. We first had a good three-hour meeting and I was waiting for answers for the next day to close the contract: but instead of getting closer to what was negotiated, they gave us another great surprise. The €4m was no longer enough, he wanted €8m net per season. The agents wanted €6m . I told them. ‘Dusan wants more because he scores a lot but you why? Because the prosecutors are paid more if the player takes more, they told me. Then they wanted 10% on the future resale and finally the exclusivity of the mandate for the sale.”
“It is the largest transfer in Italy in January. And it gave us the opportunity to look to the future and not the past. With these revenues so low, the owner cannot put €50m a year like I have done in these two and a half years. I have now spent €314m – bought for €170m, €110m to help the club settle its accounts and €34m for the Viola Park. That’s a lot of money, I can’t go on like this. My only promise was that I would never lead Fiorentina to bankruptcy and this sale was important for our accounts ”. (via La Gazzetta dello Sport)
One can listen to the full interview by the Viola president here on the club’s official website.