As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport in this morning's print edition, Inter's owner Steven Zhang is in Saudi Arabia to support his club in the supercoppa fixture. The Chinese president will push his team to try and win another Super Cup. As for Gerry Cardinale, on the other hand, he will be cheering his club on from his New York office wearing the number 10 shirt.
Cardinale's absence in Riyadh can be explained by his work commitments – Milan is only one of RedBird's strategic assets – but also by the imprint that he wanted to give to his management. Cardinale is very far from the owner-master model of Italian football, he represents this era of foreign ownership as much as Silvio Berlusconi was a symbol of the eighties, nineties and 2000s. Cardinale does not decide personally but delegates.
He does not control the club with his assets but is the contact person for an investment fund. He doesn't choose players according to personal taste but indicates a management line. It is no coincidence that Giorgio Furlani, managing director, will be present in Riyadh.
Instead, Gerry Cardinale is most likely going to meet with the club management and the team on February 14th for the match between Milan and Tottenham. Meanwhile, this 17-year-old Belgian left-winger is linked with a move to the San Siro on a free transfer.
