Rocco Commisso, president and owner of Fiorentina, died at the age of 76 after a long period of care, the club announced this Saturday, January 17, 2026. He leaves behind his wife Catherine, his children Giuseppe and Marisa as well as a deeply saddened community of supporters. Commisso, of Calabrian origin and settled in the United States since childhood, this Italian-American businessman acquired Fiorentina in 2019 and invested massively in the club, notably by launching the Viola Park training center project. Under his presidency, the Viola reached several European finals and the Italian Cup, but has also experienced recent sporting difficulties. Fiorentina is going through a period marked by a series of tragic disappearances which fuels the idea of a sort of curse in the community and among certain supporters.
The most poignant case remains that of Davide Astori, captain of the team, found dead at the age of 31 in his hotel room in March 2018 before a Serie A match. A sudden cardiac arrest which plunged all of Italian football into mourning and led to the postponement of all weekend matches. More recently, Joe Barone, general manager of Fiorentina and pillar of the daily management of the club, died at the age of 57 in March 2024 after illness followed by hospitalization, once again plunging the organization into mourning. With the sudden death of a captain, that of a key manager and now that of the president, many speak, sometimes with emphasis, of a tragic era for the Viola, marked by successive human losses which have deeply marked the collective memory of the club and its supporters.
Pub. the
– UPDATE
Related reading
