Sgarbi insists ‘nobody will knock down San Siro’

Undersecretary for Culture Vittorio Sgarbi reiterates he will prevent Milan and Inter building their new stadium if it means knocking down the Stadio Meazza. ‘It represents too much on an emotional and symbolic level.’

The situation has been dragging on for several years now, with plans drawn up and revised, still up now for public consultation.

The plan, with agreement from Mayor of Milan Giuseppe Sala, would be to build the new arena in the are next to the current Stadio Meazza, then knock down the existing structure once it is completed in circa 2027.

However, new Undersecretary for Culture Sgarbi, a notoriously combative art critic and television personality, is refusing to even consider the demolition of the structure in the San Siro area of the city.

“The letter that Sala sent to Giorgia Meloni is one written by someone who has lost all control, who does not understand that nobody will knock down San Siro, because that edifice represents too much on an emotuional and symbolic level,” Sgarbi told TGCom.

“The ban is not just on the monument, but what it represents. We are talking about the Scala del Calcio. Sala wanted to make an intimidatory gesture, but it failed, because La Russa and Rampelli both thanked me for giving dignity back to the stadium that nobody can knock down.

“Sala can stay calm, because we will do nothing bad, only save a monument in the heart of the city and of all Inter and Milan fans, regardless of the speculative intentions behind the plan to knock it down.”

With this stance, it is therefore increasingly likely that Milan and Inter will try to build their new stadium outside of Milan city centre.

The nearby town of Sesto San Giovanni has already proposed itself as a venue for the new stadium, especially as there are already transport links allowing fans to travel from Milan city centre to this suburb.