Inter president Beppe Marotta said Inter and Milan need a new stadium after the clubs unveiled the new San Siro project on Thursday, saying it is necessary to help close a revenue and competitiveness gap with European rivals.
The report says the new ground will be built next to the existing Stadio Meazza, allowing both clubs to keep playing in their current stadium until the new one is ready.
Details of the new San Siro project
The report says the new stadium will have a capacity of 71,5000 and will be called 'Generali Stadium' for the next 20 years.
Work will begin in 2028, and the stadium will be ready for the 2031-32 season.
Marotta on why a new stadium is needed
Marotta told The Athletic: "In some respects, whilst San Siro represents a repository of historical memory, it no longer meets the requirements of a modern stadium or what the fans want."
Marotta continued: "Just consider that, according to the figures we have today, Real Madrid generates around €250m a year (from the Bernabeu), whilst we’re currently just under €100m with San Siro. As well as being an asset for the club, a stadium is also a source of revenue."
He added: "At present, there’s far too big a gap between us in Italy and some of our rival clubs in Europe, which also affects our competitiveness and certainly puts us in a very difficult position."
Use of the stadium and project backing
Marotta argued: "A stadium must have a life of its own and be functional, not just on Sundays or when matches are played."
He said: "In Italy, where there are major bureaucratic hurdles to launching projects of this nature, this has come about thanks in part to the arrival and tenacity of Oaktree."
He added: "Their tenacity has perhaps broken down some of the bureaucratic barriers which, in our country, unfortunately represented a major stumbling block and were difficult to overcome. Today, we are truly on an upward trajectory."
Upcoming derby and league positions
Inter and Milan will meet in the Derby della Madonnina,,.
The report says Inter were currently joint-table leaders with Lazio, while Milan sat fifth, seven points below the leading pair.
