Chief executive on the vision that delivered this season’s Serie A title, fears over football’s future and his big regret at Arsenal
After watching Milan win their final game of the season, 3-0 away to Sassuolo, Gazidis remembers that “you’re straight into euphoria and joy but you then realise this is quite a monumental achievement not just for what we’ve done but how we’ve done it – which is very different. Even at the beginning of the season we believed that we’d created something special based on a clear idea of buildingaround a very young team.
Milan’s technical director Paolo Maldini celebrates the title win. Gazidis says Maldini imbues new players ‘with the values of Milan’.Gazidis laughs at the weakness of his initial image in Italy before becoming more serious. Milan have always been synonymous with prolonging players’ careers – as illustrated by, their technical director, who played for the club for 25 years and won five Champions Leagues and seven Serie A titles in three different decades before retiring at 40.
Sandro Tonali, a 22-year-old midfielder, and Olivier Giroud, a 35-year-old forward, enjoy Milan’s win at Lazio. A blend of youth and experience has proved successful.Asked whether he is concerned about the game’s future Gazidis says: “Without values, football is empty. It’s 22 millionaires kicking pieces of leather around on a piece of grass. Football is a feeling of community and common values.
I ask Gazidis about reports that Elliott may sell Milan to another hedge fund. “They are in some discussions. They haven’t been looking to sell but people came to them. There are two groups who both like and believe in the way the modern Milan has been constructed. So whether Elliott stays or one of these groups takes over, the project will have continuity.
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