Italian Football at a Crossroads
Adriano Galliani, who served as chief executive of both AC Milan and its sister club Monza for more than three decades under Silvio Berlusconi, recently spoke about the structural pressures reshaping Italian football.
He pointed out that elite European clubs such as Real Madrid now generate roughly twice the revenue of the biggest Serie A sides, a gap that limits investment in talent and infrastructure.
The last Ballon d’Or winner from Serie A was Kaka in 2007, and since then the league has struggled to produce global superstars, a fact Galliani links to the declining appeal of the championship.
Galliani also highlighted that Serie A’s difficulty in selling broadcasting rights abroad stems from the limited number of non‑Italian speakers who can commentate or market the product, a challenge that dampens foreign interest.
Improving stadium facilities emerged as a central theme, with the former executive arguing that modern, fan‑friendly venues are essential to attract viewers, sponsors and top‑level players.
The Calciopoli Echo
The conversation turned to the 2006 Calciopoli scandal, recalling how Juventus had two Serie A titles stripped and Inter Milan was retrospectively awarded the 2026 Scudetto, a result that fans still refer to as the ‘Cardboard Title’.
Galliani’s remarks come as RedBird, the investment group that acquired AC Milan, seeks to revitalize the club’s competitive edge, while the broader football ecosystem in Italy grapples with financial sustainability and the need for strategic reinvention.