Fiorentina President Rocco Commisso admits it ‘hurt’ when Sofyan Amrabat wanted to join Barcelona, then launched a scathing attack on Torino President Urbano Cairo and Juventus.
The Viola beat Torino 2-1 in the Coppa Italia this evening and will face either Roma or Cremonese in the semi-finals in April.
This match also saw Amrabat come off the bench greeted by jeers from the crowd, having tried to push his way towards Barcelona in the final hours of the January transfer window.
He had been left out of the squad, but apologised to coach Vincenzo Italiano and his teammates, so was used as a substitute.
“It hurt, but things went the way we expected. We said a month ago that nobody was for sale and we meant it,” Commisso told Sport Mediaset when asked about the Amrabat controversy.
He then launched a direct attack on Torino President Cairo, who runs a media empire that includes sports papers.
“In Italy, people like to talk too much and do too little. When the Corriere Fiorentina, Corriere della Sera, Gazzetta dello Sport owned by a certain someone who is the patron of Torino, makes these stupid articles, they ought to be ashamed.
“I don’t have any newspapers in Italy, but it’s not right that someone who owns one club can launch criticism against a team he is about to play on the field.
“Don’t forget, everything I said a few years ago would happen in Italian football has then happened. Football is damaged, there are teams who step onto the pitch when they are not sticking to the financial rules and we saw what happened with Juventus.”
The Bianconeri were docked 15 Serie A points for artificially inflating transfer fees to boost capital gains.
Commisso has been in a legal battle with La Gazzetta dello Sport for several months and that does not seem to be going away.
“They let the patron of a newspaper – La Gazzetta dello Sport – who called me a Mafioso, whereas the real Mafiosi in Italy are the ones who cheat. I will leave it there.”