Cardinale: “Milan were at the top of the world, and we’re going to bring them back there”
AC Milan owner Gerry Cardinale spoke to CBS Sports before the derby win over Inter, pledging to bring the club back to the summit of football.
On Halloween night, the Rossoneri ensured that Inter’s derby nightmare continued as Milan won their fourth consecutive victory in the fixture, extending the unbeaten run against the Nerazzurri to eight meetings in the process.
All of the damage was done in the first half. Christian Pulisic struck in the fourth minute with a header, Adrien Rabiot scored from a corner six minutes later, Alessandro Bastoni halved the deficit and then Diego Moreira converted a lovely free-kick to reopen the two-goal advantage.
In the end, 3-1 is how it would stay, securing a memorable win. Cardinale spoke with the CBS panel in the build-up to kick-off at San Siro last night and he shed a bit more light on his plans for the Rossoneri moving forward. His words are via MilanNews.
What makes this Milan derby special?
“Well, first of all, this stadium… As an American, I can say that a stadium like this is something you never see anywhere else. Tonight, it’s going to light up. There’s something different about this derby tonight than in the past.
“There’s an electricity here that I’ve never felt before. You’ll see nearly 80,000 people literally shaking this structure. It’s going to be truly incredible.”
Is the new stadium project your ‘baby’?
“It is. You know, when we bought the club four years ago, I started working on this right away. And part of what we’re trying to do here is bring the best of America to Italian soccer, and specifically to AC Milan.
“It’s extraordinary: most people didn’t think we could accomplish all this, or even get to this point. Not only did we announce the stadium this week, but we also announced the largest naming rights deal in history. I think it’s a wonderful thing for Italian soccer.
“The message to everyone is that we’re coming back. Italian soccer truly deserves to be at the top again, and we’ll do everything we can through AC Milan to make that happen.”
How important is Pulisic to the project?
“There’s a connection between us. We’re two guys from Pennsylvania trying to make their way and understand Italy. He’s ‘Captain America’, but he’s also my franchise player. I couldn’t be more thrilled to have him with us.
“It’s a true partnership with him. He’s a leader, and his presence on the court makes all the difference in the world. You’ve seen it this year: when he steps on the court, he completely changes the game.”
Why is AC Milan and winning with Milan so important to you?
“I remember George Steinbrenner telling me about twenty years ago, ‘Don’t get too emotionally involved in all this; don’t go into the locker room, don’t do those things’. But in this case, I got emotionally involved.
“For me, it became a personal issue. And I don’t know what it is: maybe it’s just that… look around, listen. This means so much to the people of Milan, it has a huge impact on them, and I feel a huge responsibility.
“AC Milan were at the top of the world, and we’re going to bring them back there. This will probably be one of the greatest things I’ll do in my career.”
What does this atmosphere mean to you?
“It’s something multigenerational. This stadium is an icon. Look around, look at these people: this means everything to them. All of this carries with it an enormous amount of responsibility, it almost makes your wrists tremble.
“The best thing I can do is do my job well to help this club win, because victory spreads to the whole community. Listen… can you hear? That’s the Curva. You don’t see anything like it in America, it’s truly special.”
What’s your favourite detail of the new stadium?
“What we tried to do with the new stadium was to live up to the name and tradition of this facility. This is San Siro, but it is also ‘La Scala del Calcio’, the opera house of football.
“When you look at the design of the new stadium, those majestic, slender lines on the exterior recall the grand drapes and curtains of La Scala. It is our tribute to the history of this city.”
How did you manage to unblock the stadium situation?
“It’s been an incredible collaboration, a true partnership with our president Paolo Scaroni and the mayor. It’s extraordinary because everyone told me it’s impossible to build a stadium here in Italy. The last major stadium built in Italy was in 2011 in Turin, with about 40,000 seats.
“The extraordinary thing about our project is that it will be a 75,000-seat stadium, and we expect to have it completed before the 2032 European Championships. It will be a great thing for all of Italy.”
