Paolo Scaroni, President of Milan, spoke to Radio TV Serie A and made the following statements:
On Italian football:
"Serie A has lost ground compared to the past; it hasn’t kept up with other leagues, particularly the English one. Just consider that the Premier League's international TV rights are worth €2.2 billion, while ours are only €200 million."
On Milan, Scaroni said:
"Financial sustainability is not a choice; it’s mandatory. Without it, UEFA won’t allow you to participate in European competitions. That said, thanks to sustainability, we are the Serie A team that has invested the most."
On youth development and the second team:
"With Milan Futuro, we’re making a big bet on young players. It costs us several million, but it’s a positive investment we want to make. In football, projects sometimes don’t yield results quickly, but we are here to win. Our goal is to win matches. Fans shouldn’t think otherwise."
On the San Siro stadium:
"The project we’re working on today is the twin brother of the old San Siro project. I don’t want to absolve politics, but it must also be said that over the years, people’s mindsets have changed. Many said they didn’t want to tear down San Siro, and I would ask them if they had ever seen a modern stadium. The only iconic things about San Siro are Milan and Inter. Now people see other European stadiums and see beautiful structures. Milanese citizens have realized that while San Siro is beautiful, having a new, modern stadium is better."
On San Donato, Scaroni:
"San Donato went from being Plan A to Plan B after the heritage authority removed the famous restriction. A negotiation process has started. Inter and we need to buy the stadium and surrounding areas, obtain permits, and so on. We’re negotiating a contract with the municipality, and it must be perfect. I must say I’m somewhat optimistic."
On politics:
"The only measure that has been taken is against football, with the removal of the ‘Growth Decree.’ Another thing that was done is a law to abolish piracy, which is a good thing, but it hasn’t been enforced. It targets those who produce illegal streams but not those who buy them. We want to punish those who purchase illegal streams too. Piracy causes damages of €500 million a year."
On betting companies, Scaroni said:
"The world bets on football and Serie A, but we don’t benefit from it. We’re the only country that doesn’t allow betting companies to advertise. I hope the government will soon remove this law."
On improving Italian football:
"We need to explain to everyone what we need and what the government must do to help football. It must be a collective effort by all parties."
