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Milan, Scaroni: 'Champions League essential for keeping fans'

Milan, Scaroni: 'Champions League essential for keeping fans'

Speaking at the Il Foglio a San Siro event, AC Milan president Paolo Scaroni revealed his thoughts about several topics; including the team's shot at potential Champions League qualification, as well as the reports of leaving the San Siro in favour of a new stadium.

"What is the status of the process? I would like to explain to you the logical path of Inter and Milan. To win, in the world of football, you need good footballers who cost money and pay. To have them you need to create profits because there can no longer be a president who gives out cheques. We need revenues and profits. The problem is that our revenues are at a standstill, last year we had a turnover of 203 million, as we had turnover in 2003 . Meanwhile, United are approaching one billion euros. It is clear that we must follow their path, we need people to come to the stadium even when there are no matches. We must follow the path that others have started years before us, we will have higher revenues to buy and pay stronger players, to go and win the Champions League. If we do not do this, we will never get there.

"​Is it better to qualify in the Champions League than to win the Scudetto? I would not like to look venal, but football has become like this. From a revenue point of view, this is how it is, in the Champions League you earn more. Unfortunately our fans are getting old and if we miss the Champions League, the young people who are born will not recognise us as the great team we were in the past. If we do not participate in the Champions League for the next 20 years I can assure you that we will not have those fans anymore. 

"The new management? The matches are won by the team that goes on the field but the long-term performance wins the company. A strong company transmits serenity and harmony. A strong club helps achieve results. We have a strong property; a managing director with great experience, we have Leonardo and Maldini, who besides being two great Milanistas have well-known technical skills. The car is headed towards medium-long term success."


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