Fiorentina President Rocco Commisso is dead

Italian club Fiorentina has announced the death of its president, Rocco Commisso, after a prolonged period of medical treatment.

The club made the announcement in the early hours of Saturday, describing his death as a painful loss to his family, the club and the entire football community.

In a statement published on Fiorentina’s official website, the club said Commisso passed away following a long battle with illness.

The statement read, “After a prolonged period of medical treatment, our beloved President has left us, and today we all mourn his passing.”

Fiorentina said Commisso’s leadership and commitment to the club would be remembered, adding that his death has left a deep sense of sorrow among players, staff and supporters.

“For his family, he was an example and a guiding light, a loyal and faithful man who, alongside his wife Catherine, reached the milestone of 50 years of marriage, and who was a strict yet loving father to his children, just as his character was: gentle and determined.”

The club noted that he and his wife had been married for 50 years, describing him as a devoted family man and a guiding figure to those around him.

According to the statement, the American-Italian businessman took over Fiorentina seven years ago, during which time he became closely identified with the club, its supporters, and the city of Florence.

It said under his leadership, Fiorentina reached two UEFA Conference League finals and one Coppa Italia final.

Football, the club said, was one of Commisso’s greatest passions, and Fiorentina became central to his life following his takeover of the Viola.

He was known for his close relationship with supporters and his personal approach, often insisting on being called simply “Rocco.”

“His love for Fiorentina was the greatest gift he gave himself, spending unforgettable days with the boys and girls of the youth teams, always offering a caring gesture and a smile to everyone. Tireless, he worked until his final days, dedicating himself to his companies, Mediacom and Fiorentina, and to their future. Football was his passion, and Fiorentina became so seven years ago, when Rocco took charge of the Viola club and began to love its supporters, its colours, and the city of Florence. ‘Call me Rocco,’ he had simply said to everyone, with his extraordinary empathy.

“He was always close to Florence and the Florentines, in everyday life and also during the most difficult period of the Covid emergency, when the ‘Forza e Cuore’ campaign provided substantial donations to the city’s hospitals,” the statement said.

“The Rocco B. Commisso Viola Park, the home of Fiorentina, will live forever bearing his name—an indelible symbol of his affection and his desire to look toward the future of young people. The boys and girls who grew up under his guidance in the youth academy, have won trophies and continue their journey with Fiorentina’s men’s and women’s first teams,” the statement added.

The club said the Commisso family expressed gratitude to those who supported him during his final days and said his memory would remain alive in the hearts of all who knew and worked with him.

“A heartfelt thought in this moment of great sadness goes to everyone at Fiorentina—staff, players, and employees—to the entire Viola community, and especially to the boys and girls who will continue to carry the Viola colours and the memory of our Rocco throughout Italy and the world,” the statement added.

Commisso is survived by his wife, Catherine, his children, Giuseppe and Marisa, and his sisters, Italia and Raffaelina.

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