Serie A chief warns: stadium crisis puts Euro 2032 at risk | OneFootball

Speaking on Radio Anch'io Sport, the president of the Serie A League, Ezio Maria Simonelli, does not hide his concern for the state of Italian football facilities, especially in view of the candidacy for the 2032 European Championship.

Serie A League, President Simonelli raises the alarm: "Stadiums in a comatose state, Euro 2032 at risk"

The president of the Serie A League, Ezio Maria Simonelli, has expressed strong concern about the conditions of Italian football facilities and the consequences this situation could have on Italy's candidacy to host Euro 2032.

"We are behind Europe: only six new stadiums in 18 years"

Speaking on Radio Anch'io Sport (RAI Radio 1), Simonelli spoke bluntly: "Our stadiums are in a comatose state. Udine represents a virtuous example with the Bluenergy Stadium, but beyond Udine, Bergamo and Turin, the rest is stagnant. In the last 18 years, we have only inaugurated six stadiums, of which just three are in Serie A. In the rest of Europe, in the same period, 226 have been built".

A ruthless snapshot that highlights the infrastructure gap with other countries and that, according to the president, could compromise the international credibility of Italian football.

Euro 2032, candidacy at risk?

Italy is in the running to host the 2032 European Championship along with Turkey, but Simonelli warns: "Ceferin has strongly criticized our stadiums, and I agree with him. If the situation does not change, the risk of a revocation of the candidacy exists. We risk a bad international image if we do not intervene immediately".

Bureaucracy, constraints and resistances: the San Siro knot

The president of the Serie A League also criticized the delays due to bureaucracy and local oppositions: "We need faster procedures and we need to put an end to the resistances of the so-called "no committees". I don't understand what protection is needed for a stadium like San Siro: it's a hundred years old, it was rebuilt in 1955 and it's no longer functional for modern football. Just go to the bathrooms of San Siro to realize it".

The request to the government: "An immediate turnaround is needed"

Simonelli concluded with an appeal: "I hope the government sees the risks we are running and intervenes to unblock the situation. New infrastructures are needed, not only for football but for the entire country. Euro 2032 could be a historic opportunity, but it must be seized with courage and pragmatism".

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.