EXCLUSIVE: Fiorentina owner on West Ham and future of Italian football
Reaching two finals in one season is not for everyone and losing both is not easy to digest. Especially for a passionate president like Commisso, who, on the threshold of his fifth season as owner of Fiorentina, looks to the future with optimism. However, this is without ceasing to pigeonhole Italian football with the aim, according to him, of improving it.
"I am still disappointed by the two defeats," he said, on the eve of the new season that starts today. "But I look to the future with confidence.
"The defeats in the two finals sting; however, it is important to look beyond the results and recognise the goals we achieved during the past season. We finished well in the league, participated in European competitions and showed that we have a talented and growing team."
The biggest disappointment remains the defeat in the Conference League. "With West Ham, it was a real disappointment," Commisso recalled. "We have to learn from these experiences and work on our ability to close games successfully. We are aware of our limitations and we will do everything we can to overcome them."
A season of two tales
A season, therefore, with two faces for the Viola. A disappointing first half and a second that made 'Rocco' and the fans dream, prompting the owner to back his coach. "I consider the second half an extraordinary result. Everything done in that part of the season gave me confidence in renewing (Vincenzo) Italiano's contract.
"He wanted to stay with us and this gave me more impetus to confirm him."
The second half of last season for Commisso's Fiorentina was the best since the Mediacom chief took over the club from Della Valle.
The transfer market
To make his team competitive, the Italian president, who has made his fortune in America, is ready to put his hand into his pockets and make the fans dream.
In the past, Fiorentina have been a protagonist in the market with some excellent deals, such as those of Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Chiesa, which yielded 135 million euros - and far-sighted purchases, such as Arthur Cabral and Luka Jovic, who were picked up for just 15 million euros.
"If I look at the performances of Vlahovic and Chiesa, and compare them with those of Cabral and Jovic, we can say we made a bargain. The numbers don't lie. Ours, together, have scored more goals than theirs," Commisso said.
The stadium issue
Bureaucratic constraints and Italian slowness have numbed 'Rocco' to such an extent that he has decided to leave everything in the hands of Serie A's top decision-makers...
"I don't want to hear about the stadium any more, let's wait and see what they decide," Commisso said, reiterating the importance of a long-term vision and investment in Italian football.
"Fiorentina, in order to compete internationally and attract top talent, must increase revenues.
"Today the Viola have 100 million (fans), while the average of the top 20 European teams is over 400 million," he added.
"To increase revenues, significant investments are needed; the modernisation of stadiums and infrastructures is fundamental to guarantee a solid future for Italian football."
Private/public partnership
And, lastly, a vision that calls upon the Italian government: "I ask they become more involved in this sector and to create a favourable environment for the growth of our sport - football is one of the biggest industries in our country."
A partnership between the public and private sectors, as happens in other countries (the US, Turkey, and Poland, to name a few) is the vision of Commisso, who emphasises the importance of government investment to modernise stadiums and promote competitiveness of Italian football at an international level.
"We need a partnership to take Serie A forward," he said. "We need to work together to create a virtuous circle of investment and ensure sustainable growth. Only in this way can we compete internationally and give our fans what they deserve."