Lega Serie A chief: ‘Turn Italy crisis into opportunity for revitalisation’

“Our Serie A stadiums are the oldest in Europe, and comparing the revenue of the new Bernabeu with the current San Siro, which is today the best performing Italian stadium when it comes to income, it’s a gap of 350 per cent. Real Madrid’s new stadium brings in €250m compared to San Siro’s €70m.”

BERGAMO, ITALY – APRIL 11: General view outside the stadium prior to the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Juventus at Gewiss Stadium on April 11, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images)

It is no secret where the problems lie there, as clubs have battled for decades to get new stadiums built, only for Inter, Milan, Roma, Lazio, Napoli, Fiorentina, Cagliari and Venezia to run into endless red tape.

Of those who did manage to get stadiums revamped, such as Juventus, Atalanta and Udinese, it was by reconstructing existing arenas.

With EURO 2032 coming up and Italy co-hosting with Turkiye, it’s going to be a race against time to get five stadiums ready for the competition.

“Politics can continue to turn the other way, trying to impose even more restrictive and penalising rules, even thinking of putting the Federation under receivership,” continued Simonelli.

“Or it could turn this deep crisis into an opportunity to revitalise football in Italy. I believe we can emerge from this crisis only if politics and Serie A are able to sit on the same side of the table and work together, without political differences or reciprocal prejudice preventing us from doing what is best for Italian football.

“I have too much respect for Italian politicians to believe they are not interested in giving their contribution to Italy’s favourite sport.”