Milan city mayor Beppe Sala has been accused of pouncing on the uncertainty over the ownership of Inter as an excuse to mask delays to the new stadium project by Italian journalist Fabrizio Biasin.
Sala incurred the wrath of the Nerazzurri and owner Zhang Jindong this week after suggesting that Suning’s future at the club was at the heart of delays to a joint project with AC Milan to build a new stadium.
Suning have been in talks with potential investors over selling either a minority stake or sanctioning a complete takeover of the club but hit back at suggestions the delay was there fault.
Writing in today’s newspaper edition of Libero, Biasin criticised Sala and claimed he had hoped to blame Inter without the Nerazzurri responding.
“His words seemed to have great sense to them if it weren’t for the fact that we know the situation surrounding the ‘New San Siro’ well,” Biasin claimed of Sala.
“It is not true that the project is slowing down. The term ‘slowdown’ suggests movement, but here we have been stuck at the point of departure for years.
“It’s true that patron Zhang has his problems, but these are not the real reason why this process has not proceeded. If anything, they are an excellent excuse to move on without him.
“Do you want to miss this sensational opportunity provided by your Chinese friends? We blame him and take the money for the rent and put into the coffers.
“Take the attack the other day, that he cannot entrust the development of the area over the next five to six years to an uncertain ownership. Here, the mayor was certain that nobody would reply as Zhang is in China so much, but he got the response.”
Inter had been looking to work on a joint project with Milan to rebuild the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza whilst also investing in the local area around the stadium, with a view to long-term redevelopment of the San Siro neighbourhood.
