Fiorentina faces new mourning after Commisso’s passing

The football club ACF Fiorentina is facing a new period of mourning following the death of its president, Rocco Commisso, who died overnight in the United States at the age of 76. His passing comes after several years in which the club and its supporters have been repeatedly shaken by grief and traumatic events.

Commisso, an Italian-American businessman who acquired Fiorentina in 2019, had become a central figure in the club’s recent history. His death has prompted an outpouring of emotion in Florence and across the football world, while also raising questions about the club’s future ownership and leadership.

A sequence of losses since 2018

The most painful chapter in Fiorentina’s recent history dates back to 4 March 2018, when captain Davide Astori died suddenly at the age of 31. Astori collapsed in his sleep while the team was staying in Udine ahead of a Serie A match. His death shocked Italian sport as a whole and profoundly marked the club. That season, under coach Stefano Pioli, the team sought to respond by staying united and dedicating its efforts to their late captain.

Six years later, in March 2024, Fiorentina was struck again by the sudden death of director general Joe Barone, who was 58. Barone suffered a medical emergency while travelling with the team for an away match in Bergamo. A close friend and trusted representative of Commisso in Florence, Barone had played a key role in the club’s day-to-day management. His death was a heavy blow both emotionally and organisationally.

In his memory, Commisso decided to name part of the club’s new training centre, the Viola Park, after Barone, just as one of the pitches there had already been dedicated to Astori.

On-field emergencies and older memories

More recently, during the 2025–26 season, Fiorentina experienced another moment of collective fear when midfielder Edoardo Bove collapsed on the pitch during a league match against Inter at the Artemio Franchi stadium. The player suffered a cardiac arrest but was saved thanks to the immediate use of a defibrillator and subsequent hospital treatment. He later received a subcutaneous defibrillator implant.

For older supporters, these events have also revived memories of a dramatic episode from the club’s past. On 22 November 1981, Fiorentina legend Giancarlo Antognoni was gravely injured in a collision during a match against Genoa and came close to losing his life. He eventually recovered and returned to play, but the incident remains one of the most traumatic moments in the club’s history.

Uncertainty about the future

Commisso’s death leaves Fiorentina at a delicate moment, both emotionally and sporting-wise. In the immediate term, Serie A matches are being preceded by a minute of silence, and the team is continuing to play, dedicating its efforts to the late president.

Looking ahead, attention will inevitably turn to the decisions of the Commisso family, in particular his wife Catherine, regarding whether to continue leading the club or consider a change of ownership. For now, however, Florence is focused on mourning a president whose tenure, despite controversy and difficult seasons, was marked by strong personal involvement and a deep emotional bond with the city.

For many supporters, the latest loss reinforces the sense that recent Fiorentina history has been shaped as much by grief and resilience as by results on the pitch.

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