Milan mayor Giuseppe Sala admits he is ‘worried’ about Inter and AC Milan’s stalling plans to build a new San Siro.
Sala inadvertently caused a frenzy yesterday when he told reporters there would be no further progress on the new stadium project until Inter ‘clarified their fate’, referring to the club’s ‘uncertain’ ownership situation.
Inter released a furious response last night in which they accused Sala of making ‘disrespectful’, ‘offensive’ and ‘irrelevant’ comments, threatening to take ‘consequent decisions’ if Sala’s administration didn’t appreciate them.
Sala has now responded to the Nerazzurri in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, saying: “I was surprised by Inter’s reaction to my comments.
“I’m upset as mayor and as an Inter supporter, who went to San Siro for the first time 55 years ago, but I want to do what’s best for the city of Milan.
“The stadium is a good opportunity for the city, but how can I not be worried?
“I’m moving in accordance with the logic of caution.
“It’s not me who’s saying it, but at the moment investments coming from China in certain sectors like football are experiencing trouble.
“All I’m doing is asking Inter for information: we’re discussing a partnership and I want to know who is and will be my partner.”
A report in Friday’s print edition of Corriere della Sera insisted Inter’s owners Suning had no intention of abandoning their plans to build a new San Siro in conjunction with AC Milan.
Tuttosport, however, claimed Inter could ditch the project and begin pursuing their own stadium if the Nerazzurri were to change owners in the coming months.
Gazzetta dello Sport reported this afternoon that AC Milan nonetheless remained ‘optimistic’ about the chances of the clubs creating a new ground together.
The Rossoneri have yet to comment on the public spat between Inter and Sala.