Gerry Cardinale, speaking to 'Calcio e Finanza', said the following words about his approach to investments and experience:
"I have 25 years of experience in sports investments, both in creating companies in partnership with the best rights holders in the world and investing in teams and leagues themselves. I have always believed in an investment approach that must be driven by cash generation rather than just revenue, and that must be guided as much as possible by non-emotional considerations. I must say, however, that the only case where I occasionally lose this neutral approach is Milan, where the passion of the fans and the importance of the team for everyone is something I had never experienced before in sports."
Gerry Cardinale also spoke about his choice to invest in the AC Milan club:
"I worked for 20 years at Goldman Sachs, so I smile if anyone considers me so naïve as to take on a debt to be repaid in just 18 months. I am at Milan to stay for a long time, and if it were up to me, I would stay here forever. However, it is true that we must take into account the movements of the global economy, and there is no doubt that there is a lot of liquidity in the Middle East and a willingness to invest in sports. At this moment, there is a lot of capital in the Middle East interested in investing in sports, and we are open to collaborating with potential partners who could join us both as sponsors and as partners in building the new stadium, or as minority shareholders as partners with real added value, but as I said, I will not give up control."
On the new stadium:
"I am totally ready to build Milan's stadium alone, but I am open to considering other options, without excluding a potential collaboration with Inter."
On Serie A:
"I believe I can make Milan the number one club and at the same time help Serie A return to competitiveness. Also because in the current conditions, the only way to consistently push a club to the highest levels is also to belong to a stronger league as a system. The gap with the Premier League? The way to narrow this gap is for our league to regain the competitiveness of its golden years at the European level, with the fundamental contribution of the work of us owners."
On his arrival in Italy:
"I don't understand why in Italy, as soon as someone proposes new things, they hear: 'Well, it's always been done like this!' I would understand if things were going well, but instead, we have a big gap to fill. With Luigi De Siervo (CEO of Lega Serie A), we have now understood each other; he understands that I can lend a hand internationally: just think that with ESPN, Amazon, Fox, and all the biggest US media companies, I have been doing successful business for years. My experience and my relationships with these networks can be a resource that can be of great help to Serie A."
On the Super League, Gerry Cardinale said:
"I believe we should operate within UEFA and the ECA (European Club Association), which better serve the interests of football in Europe. The Super League, whatever its current form, is not something we consider right for Milan, Serie A, or European football."
