Monza for sale? Galliani: ‘I will follow the Berlusconi line’

Ulysses returned to Ithaca on September 28, 2018. A lightning journey, decided at the table, different from the ancient narratives. “At one of the traditional lunches at the start of the week, I told Berlusconi that the Monza was for sale. Silvio replied: ‘Go and do’. I abandoned the spaghetti and closed the deal at the first meeting”. This is the story that the most faithful Adriano Galliani later told. The announcement on 28 September five years ago: “Fininvest finalized today the acquisition of 100% of the Società Sportiva Monza 1912”. “Arcore is three kilometers from Brianteo, I was born, raised in that city and began my managerial career. We truly felt like Ulysses returning to Ithaca”.

Requests

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Monza’s climb from C to the historic first A had fueled the myth of Berlusconi, greeted by a large representation of the team and club last Wednesday, on the farewell day in Piazza Duomo in Milan. Since then the questions have been chasing each other: what will become of the club? The usual Fininvest with an official press release announced “absolute continuity in every aspect” in its activities. And what about the CEO? Galliani, who was Silvio’s traveling companion for 43 and a half years? “The very deep bond that I feel within me with Berlusconi makes me say that I will follow the requests that come to me from his family in Silvio’s name. At the moment, no one has talked to me about running for the Monza constituency or about the future of the team.” At the moment, no requests have been made. The club’s future has not yet been up for discussion. However, it is known that in recent months the possibility had opened up of looking for possible investors willing to enter the company as a minority partner. It is the line on which we will continue: the search for a shareholder will not stop, whether he is ready to enter with a small stake or to take over the entire share package. We will see: today there is no need for immediate action, nor a hurry to abandon. On the contrary: Paolo Berlusconi, brother of Silvio, will be more involved. Fininvest does not comment but neither does it change direction: if it does so in the future, and chooses to go deeper with one of the financial subjects involved, Galliani will be in the front row to manage the deal. The CEO and lifelong friend reaffirms: “For the eternal affection I feel I will do what will be asked of me”.

In the Senate

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The same availability he demonstrates in another field, that of politics. If the family asks him to stand in the by-elections to be held before October to take over the vacant seat in the Senate which was occupied by Silvio Berlusconi, Galliani will step forward. However, no request has yet arrived. If it were to happen, the manager would go back to dealing with politics as he had already done in 2018 when he was a candidate for Politics. Back then, it was March, Galliani was elected to Palazzo Madama in the ranks of Forza Italia. In the last elections, however, he had chosen not to reappear: Monza absorbed all of his energies. Well directed: the team was close to achieving its first qualification for the European tournaments on its debut in Serie A. The red and white dream will continue. At the moment. Fininvest will decide on the future, Galliani will “obey”. In the name of Silvio.