Fiorentina: Giuseppe Commisso’s Comments on the Centennial Set the City Abuzz
Fiorentina is marking its centennial during a period that would be an understatement to describe as delicate. The Viola are currently dead last in Serie A, with three losses in as many games, one goal scored versus nine conceded, and a coaching change—Paolo Vanoli has already replaced Fabio Grosso on the bench. Yet Giuseppe Commisso received a prestigious award on Monday evening, delivering remarks destined to further inflame the Fiorentina faithful.
On the sidelines of the Nereo Rocco Award ceremony, Giuseppe Commisso stated: “I am deeply honored to accept this award on behalf of everyone who is part of Fiorentina. This is a very important moment for us—our centennial year. And this award, in my opinion, belongs to everyone who has helped write our history. All the presidents, the great players like Giancarlo Antognoni, who is here with us tonight, and the people who have shaped the club’s destiny. I am particularly moved because my father, Rocco, won this very same award in 2020. We are proud, and we are proud of the club’s first 100 years. Now our goal is to build the next hundred years.”
Antognoni’s presence at the Nereo Rocco Award ceremony stirred further reflection among those who hold Fiorentina dear to their hearts, given the tensions that had marked the preceding months. The Viola legend had in fact stated that he did not want to participate in the centennial celebrations, held on August 29 at the Franchi, complaining of cold treatment from the ownership: “Five years of coldness. They invited me with the usual email—not even a phone call. Maybe I wouldn’t have gone anyway, but with a phone call, things might have turned out differently.” Over the summer, however, Antognoni had used even harsher language following the announcement of the symbolic retirement of his No. 10 jersey: “Either they’re making fun of me or they think I’m a fool. That statement from the president really infuriated me.”
On the coaching front, the change on the bench came after a season start that was catastrophic, to say the least. Fabio Grosso, who arrived in the summer following successful stints at Sassuolo and signed a two-year contract worth 1.2 million euros per year, faced a brutal record: three losses in three games, including a 4-0 defeat at the Olimpico against Roma, a 3-0 home loss to newly promoted Frosinone, and finally the comeback suffered against Torino at the Franchi, where the Viola had taken the lead through Pellegrino before succumbing 2-1 on goals by Mandragora and Adams. Such a start hadn’t been seen in Florence since the 1935–36 season.
In an official statement released on Monday, the club formalized Vanoli’s return: “ACF Fiorentina announces that Coach Paolo Vanoli has been appointed head coach of the Viola first team. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the coach for immediately and enthusiastically accepting the opportunity to return to lead the First Team.” The coach, whom Fiorentina had parted ways with at the end of last season despite having narrowly avoided relegation, now finds himself managing an emergency situation without having been able to participate in the summer transfer window.
Speaking of the transfer market, Vanoli’s return has reignited interest in a prospect that seemed to have cooled off: Marcelo Brozovic. The Croatian midfielder, still a free agent following his departure from Al-Nassr, had already been linked to the Viola in recent days, but Grosso’s reservations and competition from Lazio had stalled the negotiations. Now that Vanoli is back on the bench—and in need of an experienced midfielder following Mandragora’s departure— the name of the 1992-born player—who played for Inter in Italy from 2015 to 2023, winning one Scudetto, two Coppa Italia titles, and captaining the team in the 2023 Champions League final against Manchester City—has once again come to the forefront.
