Mayor: ‘Inter and AC Milan business opportunity more than passionate about football’

Mayor of Milan Giuseppe Sala warns he misses the era of Silvio Berlusconi and Massimo Moratti, because the current Inter and Milan owners ‘see football as a business opportunity more than a passion.’

Sala has been heavily involved in the saga of the stadium, where the clubs continue to push for the construction of a whole new arena in the San Siro area of the city, whereas many local and national figures want to spend the money on revitalising the existing Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

Meanwhile, the Serie A sides are working on a new deal to continue renting the stadium from the local council.

Milan and Inter continue to push for new stadium

“We hope to reach an agreement as soon as possible, but the so-called ‘discount’ people are talking about is practically zero,” Sala told Sky Sport Italia.

This comment stems from complaints that the new agreement would see the clubs benefit from a €36m discount on the €197m cost of selling the land where the stadium now sits and the demolition of the existing arena.

“It is not a discount, it is just sharing the expenses that derive from the process.”

Meanwhile, Sala warned that the era of the Milan and Inter club Presidents who were fans first and foremost is over, as they are both now run by American funds, specifically RedBird and Oaktree.

“The current owners see football more as a business opportunity than a passion. We can pine for the Moratti and Berlusconi era all we like, and I send Moratti a hug and hope for his swift recovery, but these owners now have less passion for the sport, more business interests. We keep going.”

Former Inter President Moratti is still in intensive care with pneumonia and breathing difficulties, but the 80-year-old is said to be on the mend.