Roma president pledges donation to repair fountain after celebration

Apr 12, 2018 ayman022

Roma came back from a 4-1 first-leg deficit to defeat Barcelona on away goals as they advance to the Champions League semifinals.

Watch the scenes at the Stadio Olimpico after the match that saw Roma rally from three goals down to stun Barcelona in the Champions League quarterfinals.

ESPN FC’s Gab Marcotti explains why Roma’s comeback is one of their greatest moments in Europe, while the FC crew delve into where things went wrong for Barcelona.

AS Roma boss Eusebio Di Francesco is targeting the Champions League final after a superb 3-0 second leg quarterfinal comeback against Barcelona.

Roma president James Pallotta has pledged €230,000 to repair a fountain in front of the Pantheon in Rome after being fined for diving into another following his club’s win over Barcelona on Tuesday night.

Surrounded by a crowd of flag-waving Roma fans, Pallotta fell backward into a fountain in the Piazza del Popolo.

He received a statutory fine of €450 for wading into the historic fountain the morning after, but he was only too happy to pay up after his side’s historic Champions League semifinal qualification — and he even went further than just settling the fine.

“We spoke and he apologised,” Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi said. “He did it in a moment of excitement but he realises the importance of the example he needs to provide. And clearly he’ll pay the fine.”

00:00: #ASRoma President Pallotta celebrates 3-0 win by jumping in Piazza del Popolo fountain.

09:00: Pallotta fined €450 for jumping in fountain.

15:00: Pallotta apologises, pays fine & donates €230,000 to fix fountain in front of Pantheon.

Don’t jump in fountains kids! 🤣 pic.twitter.com/IBHwylgw82

— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) April 11, 2018

Pallotta spoke with Raggi on Wednesday at a previously scheduled meeting to discuss progress in the club’s bid to build a new stadium inspired by the Colosseum, and the pair met the media after with Pallotta announcing his charitable donation.

“I want to thank the mayor for my well-deserved fountain fine of €450,” he said. “I certainly got caught up in the excitement. I think it was a great night for all of us in Rome, but I also don’t want to encourage other people to jump into fountains — except if they want to fix the fountain!

“So I’ve decided that I think it would be a great personal gesture to fix the fountain in front of the Pantheon and so I’m going to donate €230,000 to it. I try not to encourage people — I love this city, and if somebody does want to jump in it, fix the fountain.”

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Ben Gladwell reports on Serie A, the Italian national team and the Bundesliga for ESPN FC, UEFA and the Press Association. @UEFAcomBenG.