Fiorentina released an official statement demanding ‘clear rules’ and hoping that ‘reports by the media and the relevant authorities can help provide a clearer picture of how well clubs are operating financially.’
The Tuscans have released a new statement after President Rocco Commisso highlighted yesterday how football is ‘reaching a point of no return.’
Commisso has often complained about how some Serie A clubs are run financially, mentioning the cases of Inter and Juventus in the past.
The Bianconeri are currently under investigation for false accounting.
At the end of November, the Guardia di Finanza arrived at Continassa to gather information and collect all the necessary documents in relation to transfers between 2018 and 2021.
President Andrea Agnelli and vice president Pavel Nedved are under investigation and the same is true of former director Fabio Paratici who is now at Tottenham.
On the other hand, Inter failed to meet the deadline for the payment of salaries last term.
However, their director Piero Ausilio has recently confirmed that the Nerazzurri paid salaries regularly this season.
Fiorentina have continued their battle, calling for equality and clear rules for all clubs, but they didn’t mention Juventus or Inter this time.
“ACF Fiorentina has on numerous occasions pointed out – both publicly and to the appropriate institutions – the delicate economic and financial situation Italian football currently finds itself in and the need for clear rules that are the same for everyone,” the official statement read.
“We hope that the latest reports by the media and the relevant authorities can help to provide a clearer picture of how well clubs are operating financially, so that quick, effective action can be taken out of respect for those who follow the rules and above all the fans, who have the right to watch a fair competition in which there can be no doubts or misinterpretations.
“While ACF Fiorentina has the greatest respect for the work and the independence of all the bodies tasked with carrying out the necessary checks, we hope there can be more sharing in identifying clear, binding rules to which no exceptions are made during the season. After all, having consistent rules is one of the factors that determines and ensures fair competition.
“We would like to note that the current owner of ACF Fiorentina, president Rocco Commisso, has made significant investment in Italian football – buying the club, building avant-garde facilities like Viola Park and covering the considerable operating losses sustained in the previous two and a half years – and has done all of this without borrowing money from banks.
“In 30 months, despite the dramatic effects of Covid on football and the world in general, Rocco Commisso has spent €314 million, including the sponsorship of Mediacom.
“This is without doubt one of the biggest private investments made in Italian football to date.
“With the January transfer window just around the corner, it would be desirable for clubs’ liquidity ratios to be made clear to all, so as to determine how clubs can operate in the transfer market in accordance with the applicable rules.
“ACF Fiorentina can hereby confirm its own liquidity ratios for the last two years:
“March 2020 Fiorentina 0.80 (0.70 minimum requirement)
September 2020 Fiorentina 0.80 (0.80 minimum requirement)
March 2021 Fiorentina 0.89 (0.80 original minimum requirement, changed by FIGC to 0.60 on 9 June 2021)
September 2021 Fiorentina 1.37 (0.60 minimum requirement)
“It would also be useful to know whether the wages of players and other club employees have been paid regularly, and tax and social security obligations met, as Fiorentina has always done.
“We hope that all other clubs and relevant institutions will collaborate fully and quickly to provide this information so that football can become more transparent and rule-abiding.”
Good initiative by Rocco in trying to bring transparency and accountability to Calcio and Italy in general.
1) Fiorentina are not one of the major clubs in Italy, let alone Europe, so their payroll rarely, if ever, raises eyeballs. The last superstar who earned €5m net was… Batistuta? Let’s not compare ants with elephants.
2) Juventus is listed on NYSE and LSE, so their financials and salary (disbursement) details are well-known and in the public domain. If Rocco wishes, he can avail the entire financials for Juventus without as much as moving a muscle.
3) Whether Inter, Milan, Genoa, or Cagliari et al are interested in being transparent and going public with their information remains to be seen… The verbal gymnastics most/all these clubs will pull to avoid declaring their financials will be hilarious.
Trying to uncorrupt the corrupter.
Title says “Fiorentina aim dig at Juventus and Inter…” and then “…but they didn’t mention Juventus or Inter this time.” This is top notch journalism right here, just fantastic.