LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 22: Giorgio Furlani, Chief Executive Officer of AC Milan, during a news conference after a training session at BMO Stadium on July 22, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
It has been more than a year since Gerry Cardinale and RedBird officially took control of Milan from Elliott Management. While the first season didn’t yield significant success domestically, the team reached the semi-finals in the Champions League.
In a recent interview at the Social Football Summit, Furlani discussed the overall project and the pursuit of a stadium in San Donato. He also addressed the crucial growth decree and its impact on Italian football. Furlani emphasized the challenges of stadium design in Italy, noting the shift from the abandoned San Siro 2.0 project to the current focus on San Donato.
Regarding Milan’s project, Furlani highlighted its foundation on sporting success, expressing confidence in the alignment of fan and shareholder interests in the medium term. He stressed the idea that sporting success generates financial gains, which are reinvested in the football product for further success.
On the Growth Decree, Furlani acknowledged the challenges facing Italian football, such as stadium construction difficulties and piracy. He emphasized the Growth Decree as the key lever to enhance the league’s competitiveness, enabling Italian teams to attract talent and achieve success in Europe.
Commenting on Saudi Arabia’s involvement, Furlani, speaking from an economic standpoint, viewed it as a positive development and an opportunity for everyone. Looking ahead three years, he envisioned Milan’s continuous growth path, with a focus on advancing the stadium project.
Discussing objectives, Furlani noted the difficulty of both winning the Scudetto and breaking even, but highlighted the potential ease of balancing the budget with a Scudetto win.
Addressing Serie A as a whole, Furlani emphasized collaboration among the 20 clubs to grow the football product, identifying piracy and stadium challenges as major systemic issues. He expressed satisfaction that other teams are also undertaking stadium projects.
Regarding TV rights, Furlani discussed the idea of creating a Serie A channel with higher revenues, deeming it innovative but risky. He mentioned the lack of evidence supporting this approach in Europe and explained Serie A’s decision to stick with the traditional format for now.
Milan currently holds the third position in Serie A, needing a win to rebound after securing only two points in the last four games. The upcoming Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund is crucial, potentially determining the team’s fate in the tournament.
