The mayor of Milan today reaffirmed his opposition to Inter and Milan’s plans to knock down San Siro and replace it with a new stadium.

Giuseppe Sala warned the clubs earlier this week they would not have the final say on the matter, given the stadium is owned by the city council.

Speaking to TGR Lombardia, he confirmed he wanted San Siro to remain intact until after the 2026 Winter Olympics, for which it will host the opening ceremony.

“I’m in favour of keeping San Siro as it is,” Sala reiterated.

“What’s for certain, though, is we need to reach an agreement with the two Milan clubs regarding its future.”

Inter and Milan are expected to submit a planning application to the council in the coming weeks, with reports last week suggesting they wanted a new ground in place by 2023.

Sala is unlikely to grant their request, however, opening the door to a long spell of negotiations.