Roma sporting director Florent Ghisolfi: “Friedkins are not afraid of dissent” | OneFootball

Serie A side Roma take on Atalanta on Monday and the club’s sporting director Florent Ghisolfi has spoken about the Giallorossi owners – the Friedkins.

The American owners have had a fair amount of criticism aimed at them, with Roma now under the third manager in the campaign. Their operations and transfers have been criticised, with Roma currently out of the top ten in the Serie A table.

Ghisolfi spoke to Corriere dello Sport about the project at the club and he was asked about the Friedkins and the backlash against them and their ownership in Rome.

He said: “They are not afraid of dissent and they know how to take their responsibilities. They didn’t like it, of course. The intention is to improve the team already in January, the constraints of the settlement agreement are no longer so penalizing. I think it was already understood in the summer.”

Ghisolfi was also asked about how vital the club’s Europa League final loss in 2023 to Sevilla was to Roma, their present and their near future as it impacted their finances.

He said: “If the game had been played yesterday in Budapest, the reaction of the owners would have been very different, precisely because over time they have become aware that silence, moderation and elegance do not always pay off.

“Without that mistake, Roma would probably have one more European title, and it would have been the first Europa League in its history, it would have played the European Super Cup final and, above all, it would have returned to the Champions League, with economic revenues undoubtedly higher than those guaranteed by the Europa League ’23-24.”

He went on to praise the Friedkins’ involvement at Roma, saying:

“How much passion the Friedkins have for Roma, their involvement is incredible. I hear from them every day, they want to know everything and in detail. They have invested resources, time and themselves to stay for a long time and get the most.

“The new stadium is not a hypothesis, but a concrete and wonderful project. Now they ask to receive fair treatment and the attention that is due to everyone, no one excluded.”

Ghisolfi has been a key part of the Giallorossi furniture over the last few months and he will continue to be for the near future, as Roma look to quality for the European competitions this season.

Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN