AC Milan president Paolo Scaroni has discussed a number of key topics surrounding the club currently, including Franck Kessie’s renewal and the new stadium project.
Scaroni spoke during an interview with RaiRadio1 this morning about the Rossoneri project and the match last night against Lazio, which ensured Pioli’s team continued the season in perfect fashion.
“It was a big game, we all had fun but talking about the Scudetto, however, seems premature to me. We are all thinking about the Liverpool match, it will be an important challenge,” he said (via MilanNews).
Would you sign up for second place?
“The priority is to return to the Champions League, Milan can never miss this competition, but if we do better we will be happy.”
Yesterday there were 8 players between 22 and 23 years old. Does your club’s strategy include this policy?
“The strategy of our shareholder is this, as well as of the management and Stefano Pioli. The coach has created a real team, which is always there, aggressive and fun, perhaps precisely because he is young.”
Italian clubs invested in coaches in the summer, in a relatively poor market, with great returns on the bench. Is the confirmation of Pioli an advantage for Milan?
“It is an advantage that will be seen in the long run, the ability to always be a team on the pitch is a characteristic that we are demonstrating and it is thanks to the coach.”
The clubs has significantly reduced the price of cornering tickets for the match against Atletico. An important signal?
“It is, although I cannot forget that on Wednesday we will face a team that collects 100 million a year, while we collect 35 million. I insist on the possibility of creating new stadiums that put us on a par with the big Europeans.”
Milan mayor Beppe Sala has stated that he would gladly sign for AC Milan and Inter to build a new stadium tomorrow, but there are other issues to resolve, which seems to have thrust doubt on the project.
Where are you with the construction of the new stadium?
“We are at a good point, the outgoing city council has given its consent, now there are elections and it seems to me that even the opposition is not against it, so I am optimistic. In October I think we will take a decisive step forward. Finally we will look at our future like Liverpool, PSG and Manchester City.”
Last year Pioli was in the balance but in the end you believed in him…
“He has never been in the balance, the project has always been long-term. We were saddened when we lost badly, but no one has ever questioned Pioli.”
When will the stadium be ready in your dreams?
“The timing is these: when we have the approval of the new city council, I hope by the end of the year, six months will pass for the design, then two years of construction and therefore I hope that in 2024 or 2025 it will be ready”.
What will happen to the old San Siro?
“The old San Siro will be downsized while maintaining its architectural characteristics. It will be destined for sporting competitions, but amateur and non-professional, and the whole area will be modernised and made more suitable for the times we are living in.”
You spoke of a long-term project, but what is missing to return to compete on European stages as well?
“The ingredient that we lack, in my opinion, is the stadium. Football, at an international level, is also done with money, there are other characteristics but money is a fundamental thing. When a new stadium is created, the turnout average increases by 50%, the experience changes radically.”
Is the Super League a closed chapter?
“It’s not even worth talking about past projects. Serie A teams have an ocean of debts, we have to find solutions and if we find them in concert with all the organisations that deal with football, it’s ideal.”
What could be the future of Ibrahimovic in Milan?
“I don’t know what he has in mind to do in his future, but if he stays with us he will be able to give us a great contribution”.
Inter have won the Scudetto at this San Siro, will Milan have to wait for the new stadium to do so?
“Difficult question: I always hope to win the Scudetto, but it is difficult.”
There is now less than 12 months to run on Kessie’s contract with the Rossoneri and – with the list of clubs suitors and time running out quickly – the pressure is on the Rossoneri management to try and resolve the situation one way or another.
At what point is Kessie’s renewal?
“We all saw Kessie very busy yesterday, I hope he can stay at Milan for a long time. Maldini and Massara are working on it, I maintain a cautious optimism.”
Milan has given Italian football a generation of champions, are you working to repeat yourselves? Do you have this goal?
“On the other hand, we have this goal and how. We are investing a lot in young people and our girls: they are at the center of our attention.”
READ MORE: Milan brush Lazio aside with performance full of ‘fury, rhythm and pressure’
My great Milan great game against Lazio thanks to our players I saw a team with winning Spirit with Kessie Milan future is bright he is my favorite player right now hoping to see him in the color for a long time and my thanks to the entire management team let go for a win against Liverpool we are Milan .