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Paolo Scaroni has promised that AC Milan and Inter will build the most beautiful stadium in Europe, and ruled out the idea of the club being sold.
In case you missed the big news of the last 48 hours, the City Council voted to approve the sale of San Siro to Milan and Inter, along with the surrounding areas. Now, work will begin on a new state of the art stadium next to the current one, to be ready in 2031, with partial demolition of the Meazza.
It will not be a short road though: a seven-year plan will now commence, with the aim of not only switching stadiums but also completely renovating the surrounding area to bring a host of other facilities.
New stadium, current stadium, San Donato and more
Scaroni gave an interview to the newspaper Corriere della Sera (via MilanPress) in which he discussed San Siro and the new stadium for the two clubs, also commenting on what will happen with San Donato.
Some good news arrived…
“We’ve finally finished the first half of the match, the crucial one. We’ve been working on it for years, perhaps too many, and I’ve been working on it for years.
“And now we can say we’ll build a modern, efficient stadium that will be alive every day. Like in Europe’s most important cities, of course. But ours will be more beautiful.”
What are the next steps?
“Now the second half of our two-year journey will begin. But we’ll reveal the stadium project in seven or eight months. San Siro is old, but it has one key feature: you can enjoy the game very well.
“In the new stadium, you’ll see even better, because the spectators will be closer to the pitch and the layout will be even more vertical. Residents can rest assured, because the stadium will be built from below, and even though it will be rising, it will have less of an impact.
“Plus, it will be enclosed, so there will be less noise from outside. For them, the new stadium will be an advantage. It will enhance the area.”
What will happen to the surrounding areas and to the existing San Siro?
“We’ll build a hotel, our headquarters and that of Inter, a museum for the teams and for San Siro, a small 15,000-square-metre shopping center, restaurants, and bars. All surrounded by greenery. Because it must become a place worth visiting.
“What will remain of the Meazza? What the superintendency asked of us, to keep the memory alive. We are all tied to the current San Siro, but the past must never stop us from looking forward.
“England and Wembley are a prime example. The construction of the new stadium will not reduce our attendance.”
Was San Donato a bluff, then?
“Not at all, we spent €40m to purchase the area. We made the move when the possibility of a new stadium in Milan seemed dashed. Sure, there were some critical issues; mobility was a problem. But we were ready.
“So much so that we’re working on an idea to make that space usable for sports. Because sport is RedBird and Gerry Cardinale’s vocation.”
Could this lead to Gerry Cardinale selling the club?
“There’s no possibility of Cardinale selling it, at least in the medium term.”
Can you give a promise about the new stadium?
“I promise modernity and innovation. Milan is a city of action. Like everyone who comes here from outside and the many tourists who flock here, I’m in love with it. We will give the city and its fans the most beautiful stadium in Europe, and the residents a regenerated neighbourhood.”
English (US) ·