Mayor of Florence Dario Nardella claims Dusan Vlahovic’s imminent transfer to rivals Juventus ‘tramples and humiliates’ the passion of Fiorentina fans, while former prime minister Matteo Renzi called it ‘a day of mourning.’

The move will be worth €67m plus up to €8m in performance-related bonuses, therefore meeting the €75m asking price, but the fact Vlahovic turned down proposals from Arsenal, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur to join their Serie A rivals rankled those in Florence.

“We’re on live television, so I must try not to swear,” former prime minister Renzo told La7 when asked what he thought of the deal.

“This is like a day of mourning in Florence. I was 15 years old when Roberto Baggio was sold to Juventus and I was part of the protest in Piazza Savonarola.

“I’m absolutely furious. Why do Fiorentina always have to sell everyone to Juventus? At least send some to different clubs.”

It is only the latest in a run of these transfers, after Federico Bernardeschi and Federico Chiesa.

Current Mayor of Florence Nardella was far from impressed too, but pinned the blame squarely on the player.

“As a fan, I cannot deny it’s disappointing to see our best player leave midway through the season, especially to join a team who are our direct rivals for position in the Serie A table,” Nardella told the Gazzetta dello Sport.

“In general, it is yet more proof that modern football is getting further away from its fans and sense of authenticity, run by figures who have far too much power.

“The romantic idea of a symbolic player is long gone, but there are still certain values and passion within the Viola fanbase, which unfortunately get trampled on and humiliated by situations like this.”

22 thought on “Politicians weigh in on ‘humiliating’ Vlahovic move to Juventus”
  1. I applaud the boldness of the Viola fans who think they and Juve are competing for the same position in the table.

  2. Hahaha who cares about the renzi the terrible politician. Cry about the situation you left Italy in with your garbage policies. The player can go wherever he wants. This is not the same game from back in the 90s and before where players were more loyal. This is a business and money and opportunity talks

  3. @badger what do you mean kiddo? rubentus competing with fiorentina and roma for EL spots. its funny how rubentus fans still think rubentus top 4 teams on series a this season.

  4. for almost the entire decade Juventus dominated, so guys like you had to hide in the cave and now, “Fabio”, you acting like you forgot, ure robably a fan of some mid team and thats why u bitter.
    regarding the topic – politicians are the last ones who should ever complain about money being the decisive factor – they re the ones that sell their people and theirs soul for the love of money, why would sport be much different

  5. Not all players are at a club for life and anyway it’s not as you sold him for free with all due respect to Fiorentina who seem to get players at low cost which is down to their President

  6. OMG!!!!! We Italians are so overly dramatic!!! day of mounring??? tramples and humiliates the fans?? must not swear on TV??? what about the positives??? Fiorentina willl bag 75m euros…which they can spend on their squad, stadium etc!!!

  7. @Fabio strange comment to make after Juve have recovered to one point off top 4 and just signed one of the best centre forwards in the world. Clearly in the running

  8. As much as all football fans would love to keep their favourite star players. Football is a business after all. Fiorentina paid under 2 million euros for Vlahovic and are selling him for 75 million euros, in less than 4 years. That’s a 3650% gain!!! The real question should be, where are these clubs spending that money? With that kind of money and the squad they have, Fiorentina can still be succesful. Atalanta a good example of this.

  9. In truth politicians are the real culprits when it comes to the state of Italian football. The likes of ADL, Commisso, and both Milan teams have been met with so much red tape when it comes to improving their stadia. Nobody wants to take their families to rotten and delapidated arenas. Juve have a stadium 🏟 and the power of Exor behind them.

  10. When are we as calcio fans going to have a bigger mindset? The small provincial thinking is what caused Serie A to fall behind other leagues. I understand rivalries but all of calcio should be celebrating that Vlahovic and Gosens are staying in Serie A and snubbing the Prem.

    I am a Roma supporter but I want all of Serie A to be as strong as possible. I hate talk of “weakening rivals”. This talk is small-minded and a loser’s mentality. A rising tide lifts all boats. If Juve and Inter do well in Europe it is good for all of Serie A because they league gains respect and prestige on global scale.

  11. Everybody knew Fiorentina owner Rocco is a Rubentus fanboy, just look at that Chiesa deal.

    I was telling you about this agreement since last summer and still, some of you are shocked?! Wake up, this is how things are being operated in Italy.

  12. I m sorry but are there other teams in Serie A giving the Viola

    40 Million for Federico Bernardeschi
    42 Million for Chiesa
    75 Million for Dušan Vlahović

    that is 157 Million Euros in the past 5 years!!!!!!!! that is a hell of alot of Money!

  13. I can see their point. But if Vlahovic is a Juve fan then he’s going to go there! And how can the politician’s + mayor’s complain? Of course football is even more about greed, capitalism + business, over loyalty + sporting merit, now! As that’s how “their” society is + that’s the system which most, politician’s want to keep! I’d love for Italian football to upgrade it’s infrastructure + reap it’s clear, commercial possibilities, but to also stay more authentic to it’s root’s, than say the EPL for eg? And for all the clubs, from A-Z, never mind the 18/20 Serie A clubs, to have decent stadium facilities, get a more, equal share of domestic media money, focus on Italian youth more + then for each club to maximise it’s profit’s from their own, global appeal. But people are so programmed to worship the current model of “self” + feeding the fat cats that a more fair proposal would be laughed in to La La land!? I always revert back to Atalanta as an example, when I think of the best run clubs in Italy. Youth, stadium upgrade, good relationship with the fan base + economically sound enough so as to be able to compete. They maintain a close bond with their city. Anyway, I agree with those who are happy that him + Gosens want to remain in Italy. It’s more top players being poached by the “big” clubs but it’s still better for the league than seeing ’em leave for the English Pound League!

  14. The same politicians who have obstructed Commisso at every turn as he attempts to build a new stadium and increase revenue to KEEP AND ATTRACT players like Vlahovic. These people are frauds or stupid. As for Vlahovic, I am not sorry to see him leave. He has zero character to insist on Juventus. Disgusting.

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