Security forced to intervene as Percassi confronts D’Amico after Roma’s win over Atalanta

epa11702421 Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi (L) and Atalanta Sporting Director Tony d'Amico watch a training session of the team at the Bortolotti training center in Zingonia, Italy, 05 November 2024. Atalanta will face VFB Stuttgart in the UEFA Champions League on 06 November in Stuttgart. EPA-EFE/MICHELE MARAVIGLIA

Multiple sources in Italy claim that Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi confronted and insulted Roma sporting director Tony D’Amico following the Giallorossi’s dramatic win over La Dea on Saturday, forcing security staff to intervene.

There still seems to be bitter blood between Atalanta and their ex-sporting director D’Amico, who left La Dea to join Roma earlier this summer.

According to several Italian sources, including Corriere dello Sport, which quoted ‘direct witnesses’, Atalanta CEO Percassi confronted D’Amico at full time and began insulting him, but the Roma director refused to respond.

Percassi reportedly followed D’Amico to the car park at the Stadio Olimpico, and the security staff was forced to intervene to restore calm.

According to Corriere dello Sport, friction between D’Amico and Percassi, who also serves as the Lega Serie A vice-president, dates back to two years ago, when Gian Piero Gasperini left Atalanta to join Roma.

The Italian tactician was followed by D’Amico earlier this summer, upsetting Atalanta, who initially hadn’t allowed the 46-year-old to move to the Stadio Olimpico despite having already secured an agreement with Cristiano Giuntoli as his replacement.

Corriere dello Sport and other sources say that Roma consider Percassi’s behaviour unacceptable and will take all the necessary action to protect D’Amico, while Atalanta have not commented or reacted to the reports so far.