Roma CEO resigns in anger over club icon De Rossi’s sacking

On Sunday, Roma announced that the Serie A club’s CEO Lina Souloukou had resigned, citing the sacking of coach and club icon Daniele De Rossi, which enraged fans.

Greek Souloukou, who previously served as general manager of Olympiakos, is leaving Roma after just over a year in the role, amid an open fan revolt following De Rossi’s sacking.

“AS Roma announces today that CEO Lina Souloukou has resigned from her position,” reads a short statement from Roma.

“We thank Lina for her dedicated service during a critical period for the club and wish her all the best in her future endeavours.”

Souloukou became the target of anger from Roma fans following Wednesday’s surprise sacking of De Rossi, who has paid the price for a poor start to the season and an alleged bad rapport with club management.

Italian media reported that Souloukou and her children were placed under police protection following the threats, while some fans displayed a banner outside Roma’s training ground in Trigoria calling her “evil”.

Roma fans love De Rossi because he is a local boy who won the World Cup and spent almost his entire career with his hometown club.

Anger over his dismissal intensified following the almost immediate appointment of Ivan Jurić, a coach who had managed weaker Serie A teams and was seen as an uninspiring successor to De Rossi.

Juric will take charge in his first match on Sunday against Udinese, and some die-hard fans have announced they will leave their sector of the Stadio Olimpico for the first 30 minutes in protest.

Roma are yet to record a win this season and currently sit 17th in Serie A, ahead of only Bologna and the relegation zone on goal difference.

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