Viola facing extinction

Debt-ridden Fiorentina denied Serie B place

Led by Gabriel Batistuta, Fiorentina was once a match for the best teams in Europe. Phil Cole/Allsport

MILAN (Reuters) -- Former Italian champion Fiorentina has been refused a place in Serie B for next season and its best hope of surviving as a professional club is a place in the third or fourth division.

The troubled Florence club, relegated from Serie A last season and in administration, has reported debts of around 22 million euro and the federal council of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is meeting to discuss what level the team will be allowed to play in next term.

A spokesman for Fiorentina told Reuters that the club had not been granted permission by the council to play in the second division, Serie B, next season.

"We are not in Serie B that is official. At the moment the council is looking at hypotheses about us playing in Serie C," said the spokesman.

Fiorentina president Vittorio Cecchi Gori promised he would find the necessary cash before Thursday's deadline but so far there has been no sign of the capital injection needed to save the club.

It is likely that Ternana, who finished 17th in Serie B last season will have its relegation overturned and stay in the second division.

Italian Football League president Adriano Galliani had earlier said his body will do what it can to try and help Fiorentina.

"We will try and do something for Fiorentina," he said. "They are club who are part of the heritage of Italian football and need to be protected but within the rules.

"Football would be poorer without Fiorentina but we have to wait for the decision of the federal council," said Galliani.

The club has a number of international players, such as Portugal's Nuno Gomes, Yugoslav Predrag Mijatovic and Italy international Enrico Chiesa, who in normal circumstances could have been sold to pay off the debt.

But, with many Italian clubs suffering from a shortage of cash, the transfer market is quiet and the knowledge that the players would be available on a free transfer should Fiorentina go bust has also acted as a disincentive to potential buyers.

Last season's relegation was only the second time since World War Two that the Florence club -- Italian champion in 1956 and 1969 -- has gone down to Serie B.

Just three seasons ago the club was playing in the Champions League, beating the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United as a team coached by current Italy boss Giovanni Trapattoni and led on the field by Argentine striker Gabriel Batistuta competed amongst Europe's best.

But film producer Cecchi Gori had to sell many of the club's top players merely to compete in Serie A last season, with Italy goalkeeper Francesco Toldo and Portugal midfielder Rui Costa following Batistuta out of Florence.

Italian media reports suggested that one option to help football survive in Florence would be the forming of a new club to play in Serie C.

 

Related information

Stories

Serie A may be delayed due to financial woes Fiorentina faces crisis as teams meet deadline

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video

Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.