Court of Cassation confirms Petrachi's dismissal—Roma wins lengthy legal battle

Roma's legal dispute with Gianluca Petrachi has ended in final judgment. Italy's Court of Cassation confirmed the dismissal for just cause that the club, then under Pallotta's ownership, issued in July 2020 when Petrachi was removed as sporting director. The decision closes a lengthy and complex legal battle spanning multiple courts. Petrachi joined Roma in summer 2019 on a three-year contract running through June 2022 with a fixed salary of 1.2 million euros per season to oversee the technical area and transfers. The working relationship lasted only twelve months before Roma terminated it in July 2020 for just cause, triggering the legal proceedings that continued through successive court hearings until this final ruling from the Supreme Court. Petrachi is now a director at Torino.

Gian Piero Gasperini has outlined Roma's ambition to win the Serie A title within three years, but stressed the club would be open to accelerating that timeline. Speaking to Corriere della Sera from his wine business, the Roma head coach explained his footballing philosophy through the lens of his new wine label "3-4-3", emphasizing that numbers matter less than collective effort. "The fundamental aspect is playing as a team: believing in collective work, where attackers defend and defenders attack," Gasperini said. "In football, as in wine, nothing is invented. It is team spirit that creates the difference. You need application and altruism." Gasperini reflected on his managerial journey, including difficult moments that tested his conviction in his methods. He acknowledged the Inter dismissal as perhaps his lowest point but credited Atalanta's sustained faith in him, even during periods without results, as crucial to his resilience. His relationship with Bergamo remains profound—he described it as "the longest and most intense stage of my existence as a football wanderer" and noted he retains his home there, suggesting an openness to the club's future. He candidly discussed the adjustment to Rome, joking about struggling with the local cuisine: "The biggest problem is its food. I have to be careful with carbonara, I'm getting too fat." On Roma's title ambitions, Gasperini stated: "Our plan was to arrive there in three years. We wouldn't mind moving it forward. But we are aware the road is long. In football there are no straight roads or clear paths. There will be ups and downs. If we manage them, who knows..." He left the door open on a potential return to Atalanta, saying: "Who can rule it out? One thing is certain. I didn't sell my house in Bergamo."

Gian Piero Gasperini has outlined Roma's long-term strategy in an interview, stating that the club's blueprint targets a Serie A title within three years but remains open to accelerating that timeline. "Our plan was to get there in three years. We wouldn't mind bringing it forward," Gasperini said. "But we are aware that the road is long. In football there are no straight paths or clear routes. There will be ups and downs. If we manage them well, who knows…" The interview took place at an event marking the launch of Gasperini's Freisa 3-4-3 wine, named after the tactical formation that has defined his managerial philosophy. When asked about the comparison between the wine's modest status—it is not considered at the level of Barolo or Barbaresco—and Atalanta's rise, Gasperini reflected on his attachment to building something great gradually from a lower starting point. "It's an excellent grape, but it's not a big one, not considered at the level of Barolo or Barbaresco. My grandfather and my father bottled Freisa from demijohns. I have an emotional bond with Freisa. And I love the idea of building something great, step by step, starting from a rung perhaps below." Gasperini also addressed his departure from Atalanta after nine years, where he secured consistent Champions League qualification and won the Europa League. He acknowledged that leaving came when he "realised it was humanly impossible to do more." On his emotional farewell press conference last season ahead of Roma's fixture against Atalanta, he disclosed his deep connection to Bergamo: "Bergamo was the longest and most intense stage of my existence as a wanderer of football. I have no regrets, but I feel a profound nostalgia for a community where I had integrated perfectly. Unsurprisingly, I often go back. I miss everything about Bergamo." He revealed he has not sold his house in Bergamo, leaving open the possibility of a future return.