Adriano Galliani could have returned to AC Milan last summer, a journalist has claimed, but now the idea seems more remote.
As he revealed in the interview with Corriere della Sera published today, Galliani’s strong bond with Milan is one he still feels to this day. Today isn’t just any day though: it marks 40 years exactly since Silvio Berlusconi officially took control of the club, starting an era of 31 years and 29 trophies.
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There were a number of reports claiming that Galliani could in fact return to Milan nearly a decade after leaving, given that he has left Monza and the club have been sold. Matteo Moretto even said it was only a matter of time, but then things have gone quiet since.
‘The times will never return’
In today’s episode of Milan Update on MilanVibes’ YouTube channel, the Corriere della Sera journalist Monica Colombo spoke about various topics. She also shed light on her interview with Galliani, and those rumours that he could come back.
“I didn’t notice the door being open at the moment. I think it was an opportunity last summer. There was a moment when he was very close, it was in Gerry Cardinale’s plans. He could have returned as Head of Football with a mandate to deal with the palace,” he said.
“I haven’t felt the same closeness in these hours. The interview was conducted to mark the 40th anniversary of February 20, 1986, when Berlusconi took over AC Milan. He always talks about it with the same enthusiasm as if it had happened last week.
“If I had to choose one image, I was struck by the anecdote about how every 12th of the month, he, Marcello Dell’Utri, and Fedele Confalonieri go to a chapel in Arcore for a mass commemorating the president. He still lives in their hearts and in the hearts of everyone.
“The times of Berlusconi and Moratti will never return. Now we’re talking about a different philosophy, right or wrong. No one can ever lose that mountain of money again, like they did back then.”
“No one can ever lose that mountain of money again, like they did back then“
This Milan were great but by the late 00s it was unsustainable. The financial crisis hit at the worst time for Italy, everyone lost their capital at the same time as club costs were at all time highs. Cost cutting was a must and Italy’s slow recovery meant when the new super media deals PL and CL signed in the 10s Italy was still economically recovering. Brand new FFP regulations were also implemented essentially putting all Italian teams outside of Juve under a kinda transfer embargo because Italia was still lagging behind.
But the clubs knew in advance that ffp would be implemented and that is where I think that they failed their responsibility as they instead of investing in young and highly promising players kept loaning and buying players for the most part over their peak of their careers. At that point I think it was a lack of vision as they tried to keep a status quo hoping for the best where they instead should have prepared for a new future. We could probably have stayed at the top of the game in the 2010s even if it might have taken 1 or 2 years of slump but nevertheless still quickly kept fighting for glory at the very minimum in Serie A while going deep into cl rounds. It was avoidable as I at least percieve things.