Roma CEO quits amid fan fury over De Rossi axe

Roma chief executive Lina Souloukou has stepped down, the Serie A club said on Sunday, following fan anger over the sacking of manager Daniele De Rossi last Wednesday.

“We thank Lina for her dedicated service during a critical period for the club and wish her the best in her future endeavours,” Roma said in a short statement on their website.

Italian media said police had been assessing whether Souloukou had needed enhanced security after a threatening banner appeared at the club’s training ground.

The Greek sports lawyer bore the brunt of fan fury over the dismissal of club stalwart De Rossi following a winless run in Roma’s first four Serie A matches of the season.

De Rossi, who spent nearly two decades at Roma as a player, took over as head coach in January after Jose Mourinho was fired. He was replaced by former Torino manager Ivan Juric, who led Roma to a 3-0 win over Udinese on Sunday, the team’s first victory of the Serie A season.

Souloukou had been hired in April 2023 by the American Friedkin family, the owners of Roma. She was previously the chief executive of Greek club Olympiacos.