Reports: ‘Chess game’ – tight vote expected over San Siro sale while rent issue arises

On Thursday, a debate will begin amongst the City Council about the agreement to sell San Siro to AC Milan and Inter.

According to La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera (via MilanPress), it ‘will be a chess game until the very end, with tensions mounting’. Tomorrow, the Council debate begins on the resolution approved regarding the sale of the stadium and surrounding areas.

These will be crucial days, leading up to Monday, when the final decision will be made. The teams are putting pressure on the politicians, with the final words of presidents Paolo Scaroni and Beppe Marotta sounded an ultimatum: without a new stadium, they will leave the city limits.

In the balance

As today’s edition of the newspaper La Repubblica explains, it will be a fight to the last vote, and approval is not a given. Approval requires 25 votes in favour and currently the majority has 23, with some still undecided.

The opposition is also undecided: no one is expected to vote yes, not even Forza Italia, but it is unclear whether the centre-right will vote no, abstain or not participate in the vote.

According to Corriere della Sera, however, some centre-right councillors may vote yes, as they are reluctant to say no to a €1.5bn investment.

A sticking point that has emerged in the last few hours regarding the new San Siro stadium concerns the rent for the current facility, which the two teams will no longer pay from the deed onward. The concession is expected to last until 2030, and the clubs pay over €13m annually.

It’s easy to calculate: they would have to pay €67m more until the lease expires. According to the plan, if the purchase of the stadium and surrounding land goes through, that money will not be paid.