Soccer-I left U.S. to avoid Super League-style system, says Fiorentina owner Commisso

Fiorentina’s Italian American owner Rocco Commisso says he left the United States to avoid the closed system of football that the breakaway European Super League was looking to introduce. Commisso, who bought Fiorentina in June 2019, also owns American soccer team the New York Cosmos. They compete in the third-tier National Independent Soccer Association, but in the States the format of the top tier Major League Soccer offers no promotion and relegation.

Fiorentina's Italian American owner Rocco Commisso says he left the United States to avoid the closed system of football that the breakaway European Super League was looking to introduce. The project was announced on Sunday but fell apart by Wednesday as eight of the 12 clubs announced their withdrawal.

Three Serie A clubs, Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan, were founding members of the new competition, which was the subject of a furious backlash from fans. Commisso, who bought Fiorentina in June 2019, also owns American soccer team the New York Cosmos.

They compete in the third-tier National Independent Soccer Association, but in the States the format of the top tier Major League Soccer offers no promotion and relegation. "I escaped the United States for Italy because I like football as it is here with the risks of promotion and relegation. It isn't a closed game like it is in America. Values and meritocracy don't exist there," Commisso told the Fiorentina website.

"The behaviour of the Italian teams was absolutely wrong. I came here respecting the rules and the system of Italian and European football. "The fact that all of this can change just two years after arriving isn't good for me, or Fiorentina and its fans.

"I don't understand how it's possible that they didn't ask for the opinion of the fans. Then why didn't the Serie A clubs consult the others? We are all partners in Serie A." Commisso was asked what positives European soccer can take from the American model.

"Firstly the salary cap. You can't spent this much money on wages and I think it would be good for everyone," he said. "Then we need to work on the commissions going to agents. Not what they take, I don't want to offend them, but there must be a fixed percentage, so that you don't have to negotiate with agents to close a deal."