Napoli president De Laurentiis cites Milan and Inter in stadium rant: “How can I compete?”

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has made the claim that his club cannot compete with AC Milan and Inter due to their stadium.

De Laurentiis spoke to reporters at the Napoli Racing Show, speaking critically about the situation at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. The Napoli president cited Inter and Milan as examples to denounce the current stadium’s problems, with MilanPress relaying his words.

“The Maradona Stadium needs to be completely redesigned. It can’t be renovated while keeping everything as it is. We need world-class architects and a modern, functional design. In London, they demolished and rebuilt it. Here, they’re debating whether to demolish the Maradona.

“We need parking, spaces, and modern services. How can I compete with Inter and Milan without a 70,000-seat stadium, without 120 modern skyboxes, and without space for an anteroom in the restrooms? We’re not in Africa: we’re in Naples, the cradle of Mediterranean civilisation, a bridge to the future.”

As a reminder, an official press release last month confirmed the long-awaited news that the current San Siro has passed into the hands of the two clubs. It is the first big step in the stadium project, with the new home for Milan and Inter set to be built next to it, with revenues then expected to soar.