CEO of Lega Serie A applies San Siro pressure: “The last chance Milanese politicians have”

The CEO of Lega Serie A has claimed it would be a ‘catastrophe’ if the sale of San Siro to AC Milan and Inter were to fall through.

To give a brief timeline of events, Milan and Inter first announced a joint stadium project in 2019 with the aim of building a new home on the site of their current one. Then, the Rossoneri turned towards San Donato due to delays, before being roped into the joint project in the past year.

Naturally, the obstacles are still present just as they were over six years ago. From an investigation into the City Council to disagreements over the price set to buy the current stadium, the road once again remains littered with hurdles.

Last chance saloon

Now, the CEO of Serie A has attempted to apply a bit of his own pressure. During an interview with Corriere della Sera, Luigi De Siervo spoke passionately about the problems that the two Milanese clubs are going through.

“A vote against the sale of the San Siro stadium would be a huge catastrophe. The 48 city councillors called to cast their votes have an enormous responsibility,” he said (via MilanPress).

“Preventing the sale of the stadium would not only cause immense damage to the city’s reputation but would also mean the loss of a historic opportunity for the city. This is the last chance Milanese politicians have to provide the city with a facility that lives up to expectations.

“Football is changing rapidly: in this historical phase in which TV rights have little room for growth, stadium revenue makes the difference. The profound transformation that social media has brought about is the desire to participate in the event from within and take photos at the match.

Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

“The adequacy of the stadium is not just an experience to be enjoyed but a determining factor in increasing a club’s revenue; otherwise, the gap with the other leagues will widen. And our ability to catch up would become even more rarefied.

“The time is now, there is no more time. Otherwise, it would be a historic mistake to consign Milan and Italy to a state of inferiority compared to other international footballing realities. The urgency can no longer be postponed.

“Moreover, I don’t understand all the controversy surrounding the partial demolition of the Meazza. Wembley was demolished and rebuilt from scratch, continuing to fuel its own legend.

“Milan would lose the chance to have one of the three most important stadiums in Europe, alongside Real Madrid and Barcelona. The Milan council’s wrong decision would consign Milan and Inter to a twilight phase in their histories that they don’t deserve.”