Inter director Alessandro Antonello warns that unless they and Milan manage to get a new stadium built, these clubs ‘won’t be able to compete at the top level internationally.’
The Nerazzurri and Rossoneri are both in the Champions League this season, but with vastly smaller budgets than some of their rivals in the competition.
Milan chief Paolo Maldini told Sky Sport Italia yesterday that calculating the teams who go through to the Round of 16 is “almost a mathematical equation” based on their revenue.
Today Antonello agreed when speaking at the MilanoParigiCapitali event organised by Milano Finanza.
“It’s difficult to compare with France because they reaped the benefits of a sporting event with the 2016 European Championships,” noted the Inter director.
“Italy has put itself forward as a candidate for EURO 2032, but that’s a bit far away and meanwhile we are trying to get our own projects off the ground. Considering the average age of the stadiums, there has to be an intervention.
“Inter and Milan presented a masterplan three years ago, that is still being discussed, and we this week handed in the latest version of the feasibility study to the council in Milan.
“This won’t just be a stadium, but an entertainment district that will benefit the entire city of Milan.”
There have been numerous protests, especially from local politicians, at the idea of knocking down the existing Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, while they are also eager to cut down on anything non-football related in the project.
“The fundamental issue is that, without the right infrastructure, clubs like Inter and Milan, but in general the entire Italian football system, won’t be able to compete at the top level internationally.
“A stadium brings additional revenue, which can be reinvested to strengthen the squad and challenge at the highest level in Europe.”
Inter and Milan aren’t the only clubs who have seen new stadium projects languish in a sea of red tape, as Roma have been trying for at least a decade to get their own arena, while Fiorentina eventually accepted plans to restructure the existing Stadio Artemio Franchi when their ideas to build a new stadium were rejected.
What happened to having our own stadium? Or were these words manufactured by the media as per? Or was it the Cardinale camp spouting horse shhh?
You guys can’t even get one stadium built in Italy how are you going to get two?