Fiorentina owner aims dig at Cardinale’s Milan takeover: “It’s not his money”

By Isak Möller -

Gerry Cardinale, through his firm RedBird Capital, is on the verge of becoming the new majority owner of AC Milan. Something that Fiorentina owner Rocco Commisso has reacted to in a recent interview. 

Cardinale will arrive in Milano today and he will sign the contracts with Elliott Management, who will keep 30%, tomorrow. You can read more about the matter here, but it’s clear that a full agreement is now very close.

In an interview with La Repubblica, as cited by Calcio e Finanza, Fiorentina owner and fellow American Rocco Commisso spoke about Cardinale’s interest in Milan. He stated that he is a ‘good person’ but also highlighted another thing.

“He’s a very good person, he also worked in my sector, I had to deal with him when he organized a cable platform. However, I want to say something very clear: when they say he will buy Milan for €1.3bn, it’s not his money.

“He makes fun with other people’s money. At Fiorentina, down to the last cent, it’s my money, of my personal assets,” he stated.

Of course, it sounds more dramatic than it actually is as many football clubs are operated in the way RedBird intend to do it. The Singer family, for example, have used Elliott to fund and invest in the club, although now set for a decent profit.

Tags AC Milan Gerry Cardinale Rocco Commisso

17 Comments

    1. You do know that the transfer window doesn’t open for a month right?
      “Just start buying players.” This isn’t a video game that’s not how it works in the real world.

      1. Actually it makes a lot of sense. The problem with the specific patrons like Commisso or Berlusconi or other is that as soon as they get tired of the club it leaves them in a good mess. The latest example is Beneventos patron Vigorito whom invested and brought success but is now tired and will not even register the club for next season.

        Malaga is another club that got the same treatment when their Qatari owner was annoyed on the municipality wouldn’t allow him to do certain things and stopped investing in the club. They went from upper half of La Liga (with some EL participation) to the bottom of the second league.

        I’d rather have someone who is ready to invest in club long term by making it more self sustainable. I’d rather have a Bayern Munich model than PSG/MC one where everything can change in a mood swing.

    1. Yeah. With his decisions of keeps selling key players, Fiorentina will be stuck at middle or lower table in the league or even worst: bankrupt.

    1. Lol. With respect to Italian owners but most of them are stuck behind the golden era of serie A and didn’t want to innovate.

      If Milan still with Berlusconi right now, we wouldn’t get out from the dark age let alone going back to Champions League or winning scudetto.

      1. I don’t disagree with you, although it is a shame that this is the case. Politics aside, I do miss the Silvio era where he was personally involved and was able to show a bit of character, as opposed to nameless, faceless groups of financial investors.

  1. Mr commiso has finally come out of hiding, where has he been since January? He got on his knees for another guy he says spends other people’s money in Mr agnelli when he sells all their best players, he is continuing that fine tradition of making his fiorentina the little bitch team to agnelli rubentus. What commisso won’t tell you is his money came from working for some of the biggest banks in the us and Canada, and HIS money came from ripping off everyday people just looking to get by. This guy needs to crawl back under the rock he has hiding in since he sold vlahovic.

  2. So what, that doesn’t anything. Fiorentina will be playing a conference league they struggled to qualify to with Comisso’s pocket money, and Milan is playing champions league and just won the scudetto with other people’s money 🤡

  3. For all those that bought the bull$shit about Redbird being the “better” investor because they would purchase the club for cash vs Investcorp who were using 800M cash and 400M in equity and Elliot wanted to make sure whoever they sold the club to would be left in good hands – LMAO. Pls educate yourselves and don’t buy the bull$hit moving forward. Investcorp is worth 40B – Redbird 5-6B? Did anyone really believe Redbird would tie up 20% of their capital in one investment and pay cash? LOL. Like I said it was all who would pay more – not about cash or equity. That was just Arab bashing. Elliot got a better deal from Redbird (keeping 30% stake) and don’t give a $hit how Redbird got the money to pay them or who they sold to lol. Wake up gents! Elliot cares about PROFIT as they are required to do as an invest fund. Redbird is the same as an investment fund. What’s concerning is that Elliot has deeper pockets than Redbird (40B to 5-6B) – so not sure we are being sold to a better owner. Time will tell but I wouldn’t expect any big spending.

  4. LOL. And there were those on this chat that bought the BS that Elliot sold to Redbird because they didn’t want to saddle the club with “debt” and that since Redbird would be paying cash for the sale of the club and therefore would be the better owners LMAO…wake up gents! Elliot went with Redbird as they offered the better deal (by letting them keep their 30% ownership stake). They didn’t give a $hit about not saddling the club with “debt” lol. Hell they are probably happy if Redbird runs into problems down the road as they can swoop in and buy the club back again LOL. Redbird’s worth 5-6B. Elliot and Investcorp worth 40B each. No way Redbird would have ever put 20% of their worth in one risky investment lol. And I wouldn’t get our hopes up that Redbird will start spending like crazy to sign players like Maldini requested. Status quo looks more likely unfortunately. …I pray I’m dead wrong but just don’t see it.

  5. Yeah yeah yeah… leave the empty rhetoric for wannabe ‘capo di tutti capi’ swashbucklers like Rocco Commisso, thank God AC Milan is way above that.

  6. Unfortunately the guy is right. Redbird is about profits for its investors and it doesn’t have much money. So say goodbye to AC Milan. If Milan comes as 4th every single season and brings them 100m profit Redbird would be happy with that and not care about first place or winning the champions league.

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