Paolo Scaroni explained why Inter and Milan decided to work on a new stadium rather than renovating the existing Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.
The two Milanese clubs are desperate to build their own stadium and leave San Siro, which has been their home for almost 100 years. Whilst the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza is one of the most iconic football stadiums in the world, it’s clearly starting to show it’s age and the fact that it’s owned by the Municipality of Milan is a source of frustration for Inter and Milan.
Speaking to Gulf News from Milan’s retreat in Dubai, Scaroni first discussed the capacity plans for Inter and Milan’s new stadium.
“We will never reach the 80,000 capacity of the San Siro, the maximum we have is 75,000 people. So the new stadium will be close to 70,000 because we want it to be full and to be a very efficient stadium, so the idea is to reduce the capacity a little bit.”
The Rossoneri president explained why the two Milanese clubs pushed for a new stadium instead of renovating the existing San Siro.
“We couldn’t rebuild San Siro because with two teams playing there, both in the Champions League, there are too many games to consider. The stadium would also require a major renovation, and that would be very difficult.
“There is no stadium with a decent capacity where we can spend some time while they rebuild San Siro. This is why we need a new stadium.”
Finally, Scaroni discussed the economic benefits of Inter and Milan having their own stadium.
“Having a modern stadium is crucial for the growth and evolution of the club.
“We need to close the gap between Serie A and the major European leagues, first and foremost the Premier League, where stadium revenues are one of the main growth factors in recent years.”
The new stadium has been designed by architectural experts Populous and will be built in the city of Milan. The current Stadio Giuseppe Meazza is planned to become a multi-purpose sports centre, open to members of the general public.