AC Milan's president, Paolo Scaroni, has spoken to the microphones of 'Rai Gr Parlamento' and said these words about the club's vision:
"Milan only has one goal: to be in the Champions League again next year and always. For economic reasons and for the 400 million fans who must see us in the Champions League", (via Francesco Nasato)
He added:
"AC Milan is a company. I have been dealing with companies my whole life, and Milan is one of them. We need to increase revenue. Just think that the ones recorded in the last financial statement have doubled compared to four years ago. We pay a lot of attention to costs, which for us are the first team, and we try to follow a careful and strict policy. We are prepared on the acquisition front, with a generous transfer campaign bringing in great players, but we are very careful with wages because they are a cost source that weighs heavily and makes player transfers difficult. Salaries make potential sales or loans difficult."
Scaroni continued:
"The Scudetto derby? "I hope it will be like that, and I hope that in the next derby, we can return to smiling after these five defeats. Our fans have suffered because of these losses. The three points lost against Inter don't count double, but I say this half-seriously and half-jokingly, and when I look at the score of this 2023, I go home with my head down. After the 5-1, I was in a bad mood for 24 hours. However, Pioli made us get rid of the residues, and I think there are no more. Against Lazio, I saw a beautiful, calm, cohesive team that doesn't look back but looks forward. The first one is on Wednesday in Dortmund. In October, we have a daunting schedule, and we need to perform well in both competitions we're involved in."
On Italian stadiums, Scaroni said:
"It's a fact that the facilities are obsolete. Why are we like this? Because there are a quantity of incredible obstacles, and the phenomena that exist in Milan, exist everywhere. The commissioner? They need to be supported by a set of laws that allow them to overcome these obstacles, otherwise it would be a great struggle for them too. The last time there were investments in stadiums was during Italia '90 when existing stadiums were enlarged. Italy needs new stadiums."
On being the president of Milan, Scaroni said:
"It's nice to be the president of Milan when you win matches, much less when you lose. After losing 5-0 against Atalanta, I felt bad for three days. Regarding the stadium, both Inter and we started with the idea of building a new stadium. Renovation was impossible. Our wings were clipped in every way for the new facility, so we fell back on the model of the big European clubs, where each has their own stadium. We were ready to give up on a unique home, also because with Inter we were always in agreement on the stadium issue, and also because San Siro has an iconic charm. We lowered our arms in front of a project that we really liked."
On saying goodbye to San Siro:
"We haven't definitively closed the door yet. The pre-declaration from the superintendency about the constraint related to the second tier makes me think that many scholars come to study it in an empty stadium. This pre-judgment has put both the mayor of Milan and us in difficulty. Since the stadium belongs to the municipality of Milan, the ball is in the mayor's court to try to overturn this decision on the constraint. In the project stadium we presented in San Donato, the entire roof would be made of solar panels, we recycle water, etc. From an environmental perspective, it's a much more eco-friendly stadium compared to the beloved San Siro."
On a sustainable Milan:
"Giorgio Furlani and I owe a lot to RedBird for the experts they make available to us. The 'revolution' is born out of the necessity for a sustainable Milan and Italian football. The magnate who injects 100 million into the club no longer exists, and if they did, they would be restricted by UEFA. Milan's ambition is to be sustainable before the transfer market. The balance for '22-'23 is positive even without the sale of Tonali, and we aim for balanced accounts regardless of the market. The market can be a success or not. Last year, we weren't very happy with the acquisitions made, now it seems to me that things are going for the better. First, there is the ordinary economic sustainability of the club."
On the possible return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic to the club, Scaroni declared the following:
"Zlatan was also at the stadium on Saturday. He met Cardinale, had a meeting with me, and then with Furlani. But he's currently on a sabbatical year. When he's ready to consider the possibility of a return, we'll be happy to explore it with him."
On the new arrivals:
"I like them all. Even those like Adli who played little last year. Making a new acquisition and seeing them integrated with the team, in harmony with everyone, doesn't always work, but this year it seems to be so", said the AC Milan president, Paolo Scaroni.
On TV rights and Milan's development in the North American market:
"Regarding the closure of Italian rights, I am moderately optimistic and convinced that we will close them at a level close to the current one. I am concerned about the rights in the American market. Milan absolutely needs to be seen as important in the United States, while on the international rights front, we are doing well."
