At the beginning of June, Fiorentina sent a cease-and-desist order to the city authorities to halt the work on Stadio Franchi. The company's general manager, Alessandro Ferrari, announced that if the construction was not stopped, he would file a complaint with the regional administrative court, TAR. Why does Fiorentina want to withdraw?

Concerns about financing

The company explained that this decision is due to uncertainties regarding the sources of funding for the revitalization efforts, and consequently, the timeline for completion. Considering the developments in recent months, Fiorentina's stance surprised the municipality: in April of last year, the club signed an agreement that provided for the commencement of work while simultaneously playing matches at the stadium during the 2024/2025 season. The agreement outlined all stages of restructuring: Fiorentina is currently under pressure, but we have always responded to the club. The club asked to play at Franchi during the work, and we also resolved that issue, said Florence Mayor Dario Nardella in an interview with RadioBruno.

The problem of lack of funds is not new. A few weeks ago, Fiorentina President Rocco Commisso stated that he had discussed this issue during several meetings with Nardella and Minister of Sports Andrea Abodi: At every meeting, there was concern about the future of the stadium. Completing the renovation project still requires at least €100 million. According to Commisso, starting the reconstruction work ordered by the municipality despite the lack of full investment coverage causes significant financial and managerial damage to Fiorentina, the fans, and the entire community supporting our colors.

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Firm decision by new authorities

However, statements, cease-and-desist orders, meetings, and the threat of filing an appeal in court did not help. Construction at Stadio Artemio Franchi, or rather demolition, continues. Work on the Fiesole stand is progressing rapidly. The metal stairs leading to the top of the stands have been dismantled, and the reinforced concrete base has been crushed by demolition shears. Machines are removing the metal part of the Fiesole curve stands, and all seats have already been removed from the front ground floor. Next will be the demolition of the ground floor.

As reported by the Viola News portal on July 6, Fiorentina decided to follow through with its warning and filed a court application to halt the work. The city authorities received the urgent appeal the day after the vote, which resulted in Sara Funaro becoming the new mayor of Florence. The response was practically immediate. In fact, the city prosecutor's office was instructed to formally oppose ACF Fiorentina's appeal before the civil judge and in relation to all other possible instances.

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What next?

The court decision may come within four or five months. Meanwhile, the next season starts in less than two months. The club speaks of losses caused by reduced capacity ranging from €9 to €13 million. According to the city, Fiorentina was aware of all the details, including the start date of the work and the capacity, when signing the agreement. It is hard to believe that Fiorentina's lawyers did not read what they were signing. So now, as in any complex scenario, either diplomacy will prevail, or a long legal battle between the Florence authorities and the club will ensue.