Marotta: "We have a pressing need for a new, modern, welcoming stadium"

Inter President and CEO Giuseppe Marotta spoke to Radio Anch’io Sport on Radio 1, addressing the future of San Siro and the plans for a new stadium. These were his comments:

"I’m speaking as president, as a citizen of Milan, and as a sports fan. Milan is one of the most attractive cities in Europe, but it risks being sidelined in the European football landscape. We can no longer host a Champions League final, and we won’t be among the cities bidding for Euro 2032. That’s because the debate has been bogged down by politics, led by outdated, overly conservative figures who don’t embrace innovation. San Siro deserves respect: it’s full of memories, it’s iconic, it represents the history of Inter and Milan, but it’s old, run down, and constantly in need of repairs. We need to look forward. Just as Wembley was demolished to make way for a new Wembley, the same must happen here.

Our plan is to build a new stadium near the current site, entirely privately funded by Inter and Milan. It would bring enormous benefits to the city in terms of tourism, jobs, and international appeal, while also helping both teams. At the moment, we can’t compete with the other major European clubs. At best, Inter and Milan have earned around €80 million each per season from San Siro, while other top clubs bring in as much as €300 million. That gap is simply too big and undermines our competitiveness.

We need a new, modern, welcoming stadium with features that are already common across Europe. In the last ten years, 153 new stadiums have been built across Europe: 28 in Turkey, 23 in Poland, 16 in Russia, 12 in England. In Italy, only three stadiums have been renovated, just 1% of that total. That shows the size of the gap. Our plan is to build in Milan, but if obstacles remain, we will have to consider other sites outside the city. I repeat: we want to build it together with Milan, and it would be a fully private venture from both clubs. This would be significant, given 12 of the 20 Serie A clubs are owned by foreign investors. Imagine where we’d be today without the American investment in Inter and Milan…

In terms of capacity, it will be in line with the European average. We’re committed to keeping the stadium accessible to all fans, including those from middle and lower-income groups: attendance must always be possible, through fair ticket prices. At the same time, we need to develop the commercial features linked to matchday, like hospitality boxes. A stadium will always be a place of passion and emotion, but it also has to be an asset that generates revenue. Increasing those revenues is the key to sustainability and to securing the long-term future of our clubs."

Marotta also reflected on Inter’s start to the season:

"We’re only four games in, and we’ve already had to play one of the toughest away matches of the season – it’s important to be patient. With a new coach, some teething problems are to be expected, but we need to stay calm. We’re confident that the team’s values, together with the coach’s work ethic, will be enough to get us where we want to be. We’re also very proud to have promoted two products of our Youth Academy: Cristian Chivu, who coached our Primavera for six years with great success, and Francesco Pio Esposito, who came through our system as a player. This is something that really makes us proud: it takes courage to give young players their chance. Alongside the experienced players who arrive in Italy at the end of their careers, bringing all their knowledge, it’s vital to introduce young talent. In recent years, even the biggest clubs have embraced this approach. These young players represent the future of both the clubs and the national team."