Milan CEO Giorgio Furlani reiterated that ‘sporting success creates financial success’ and spoke about the importance of the Growth Decree in attracting talents to Serie A.
The 44-year-old took over as Rossoneri CEO 12 months ago after spending four years as a member of the board of directors. He works closely with owner Gerry Cardinale and coach Stefano Pioli, pushing for progress on the new stadium project and transfer market investments.
Milan were active in the summer transfer window, bringing in 10 players, but have struggled to maintain consistent form this season. After 12 matches, they sit eight points behind rivals and league leaders Inter.
Speaking at the Social Football Summit in Rome via TMW, Furlani first discussed Milan’s sporting project.
“Ours is a project based on sporting success. I am convinced that it must be like this, in the medium term the interests of the fan and the shareholder are the same.
“Sporting success creates financial success. It’s strange to say it over and over again. But the resources that are created by the business are reinvested in the football product to be more successful.”
He spoke about the importance of the Growth Decree – a tax benefit – to Serie A clubs when signing players.
“In Italian football, we find ourselves in a situation where we have many forces against us. The impossibility of building stadiums is one, piracy is another. Then there are smaller things that make Italian football less competitive compared to other top leagues.
“The Growth Decree is the only lever to make the league competitive compared to others. Football is not a toy. It is an industry that attracts foreign capital, thanks to the Growth Decree, Italian teams have returned to attracting talent which we couldn’t afford before and thanks to these we have been successful in Europe.
“So, it seems to me a total contradiction to go and change a rule which is the one that allows us to go towards the right path and which is inherent in the word ‘growth’. It seems crazy to me. Sadly, we didn’t reach the World Cup in 2018 and 2022.
“But it seems difficult to me to say that the national team isn’t doing well due to the Growth Decree. If we look at the youth teams, then the national teams have done very well. If there is a concern, as I have heard, that the Growth Decree will impact youth systems, then I say let’s sit around a table and talk about it.
“Let us address this problem. Us at Milan are willing to commit ourselves to the development of our players. However, cutting the Growth Decree means reducing the resources that would also be taken away from the youth sectors.”
The Milan CEO gave his thoughts on the increasing emergence of Saudi Arabian clubs in the transfer market.
“As an economist I say that it can’t help but be a good thing. Their entry is an opportunity for everyone.”
He spoke about the club’s new stadium project.
“I prefer not to make predictions, building stadiums in Italy is not easy. San Siro 2 has been abandoned, now we’re aiming for San Donato.”
Furlani was asked where Milan would be in three years’ time.
“It’s a continuous path of growth, we want to implement the business. I hate making predictions before games, even when I was three years old. I’d hope to have advanced the stadium project further.”
Finally, Furlani was asked if it was easier to win the Scudetto or break even in the balance sheets.
“They are both difficult. But if you win the Scudetto, it’s easier to balance the budget.”