Inter Corporate CEO Alessandro Antonello has explained that renovating the existing San Siro would still have left it unrecognisable, according to a report in the Italian media today.

Speaking during an interview with Corriere della Sera, Alessandro Antonello discussed the will of some to renovate the existing stadium rather than build a new one entirely from scratch and demolish the original.

Alessandro Antonello feels that in order to do that, the stadium would have had to be changed so much that it would be unrecognisable and therefore not worth it.

“The intervention would have been so invasive that it would have made San Siro unrecognisable. The identity element that we want to keep today would still be lost.”

Speaking positively about the project as a whole, Alessandro Antonello explained that the clubs have complied with what has been asked of them regarding the volume of the operation.

“For the clubs this isn’t a speculative operation, we are back within the parameters of the Pgt. The only interest that the clubs have is to have a modern stadium that can support them in development and make them competitive with the other clubs.

“We accepted the reduction in volumes to show the will to pursue what is an important goal not only for the clubs but also for the city. Less volumes mean 50,000 square meters of more green space and an eco-sustainable stadium. San Siro, although iconic, it has had its day.”

The Inter man also discussed the timings of the new stadium, saying: “For us it is essential to have certainty about the times. The more the years pass, the more our clubs become less competitive. We must be sure that we can do the work by a certain date.

“We will go to review the volumes and understand what type of investment we are going to make. For the extra contribution, there is always a table open with the administration.”

Some are worried that the projected additional revenues of the new stadium will come from ticket price increases, but Alessandro Antonello is keen to deny that.

“The additional revenues do not come from the increase in ticket prices, but from the revenues induced by the additional services that a modern stadium can guarantee.

“We do not intend to modify the tariff structure, there will always be curves, like popular prices.

“Properties? They are two completely separate things. The stadium project helps the teams to remain competitive on a European level. What concerns properties is another level that must not be linked to the stadium.”