Stadium in Sesto San Giovanni, an immense area ready for football. With the subway

How many are one and a half million square meters? An endless space, the largest brownfield sites in Europe. The great map of Sesto San Giovanni to host the San Siro is the area that until the 1990s was occupied by the Falck steelworks, unused when the factories closed and now awaiting a new destination. If elsewhere – in San Siro and also in Rozzano – space can become a problem, in Sesto the question does not arise. In the remote political challenge with the great Milan, the small Sesto focuses on speed. In the city they have already decided: if Milan want – and maybe Inter will follow – they will find a free way. After all, a stadium in Sesto San Giovanni has been talked about for almost ten years.

History

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In 2014 Barbara Berlusconi, Milan’s managing director like Adriano Galliani, was also thinking about Sesto for the club’s new stadium. In 2017, Mayor Roberto Di Stefano said: «I propose that the company consider the Falck areas». Time passes, scenarios do not change. Di Stefano, Northern League mayor, was re-elected, confirming the fact that Sesto is no longer the Stalingrad of Italy. And the proposal for Milan and Inter remains on the table. “We’d be ready right away. The area is private and its owner is in agreement with the transfer, the municipal administration is in agreement,” said Di Stefano in May. And today he relaunches: «If Milan decided between March and April, it would be perfect for us. We have to come out soon with the tender for public works with deduction of charges on the Falck areas and yes, we can wait for Milan. If they chose Sesto, we’d be out on the heels. If he waited, the situation would get complicated.

pros and cons

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The stadium itself is a complex organism. It’s not just a question of building a football facility for 60-70 thousand people, there is the need to consider the viability, parking lots, a museum, the commercial areas in the surrounding areas. Demolition and reclamation works have already been carried out on the Falck area and this, for a Milan that runs, is certainly an advantage. At the same time, since it is a private area, the public debate seen in Milan would not be necessary. Times, however, would not be fast. Between the decision, the definition of the project and all-round agreements, the works would not start before two years. Informal discussions have already been held in Sesto with Scaroni, president of Milan, who inquired about the timing, availability and situation of the area. Gerry Cardinale, founder of the RedBird fund owner of AC Milan, was on the other hand visiting during the days of the Scudetto, at the end of May. Now, however, it would be a matter of speeding up. Moreover, to forge an alliance destined to change the history of Milan and of the city.

The city

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Sesto San Giovanni is a city of over 80,000 inhabitants north of Milan. With the subway, in just over a quarter of an hour you can reach Piazza Duomo and – this is one of the strong points of the project – there is substantial continuity with Milan. The solution to the north of the city would make it possible to gather fans from Monza, Bergamo, Brescia, Varese, areas with a high AC Milan concentration, and the Città della Salute was designed not far from the eventual stadium, a maxi-health center designed in the Falck areas. All right then? Calm.

A club or two

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The main crossroads, if Milan really leave San Siro, would be on Inter’s participation in the project. Mayor Di Stefano has clear and rather surprising ideas: «The two-team model does not hold up internationally. No club has ever done that.” As if to say, Sesto is ready to listen to all the solutions but imagine cooperation with only one club. Obviously Milan, who however would have an obvious interest in sharing the costs of designing and building the stadium with Inter. In that case, the two clubs would have to set up an ad hoc company. Otherwise it will be a separation, a historic turning point, a truly away derby. For Milan, a discreet shock.