Milan: Gianni Rivera Speaks Out About the Name of the New Stadium

Milan legend Gianni Rivera, in an interview with *La Repubblica*, expressed his strong opposition to the new stadium that the Rossoneri will share with Inter in 2031. According to the former Rossoneri star, the two teams should have continued playing at the Meazza, which should not be demolished: “I’ve never agreed with this decision.”

“The current stadium is still perfect for playing. And it has an incredible history: it’s a monument to the city of Milan. They’re tearing it down to build one that has no reason to exist. Too bad for those who decided this,” said the former Golden Boy.

The new stadium at San Siro will be called Generali Stadium: “Instead of naming it after those who made the clubs’ history, they’re naming it after whoever pays the most. Just imagine how happy the fans must be. I would have liked it if they’d named it after me and my friend Sandro Mazzola.”

“When I was a little kid, I used to walk to San Siro with my dad. When I started playing for Milan, he and my mom would come to the games every now and then. I’d ask them to keep it down, not to make loud comments. Mom had a hard time—she’d feel the urge to raise her voice. The best day at the Meazza? When they presented me with the Ballon d’Or in ’69. A wonderful moment. And to think I could have won another one a few years earlier: they told me they had to give one to Yashin, who was nearing the end of his career. Otherwise, that one would have been mine too,” Rivera recalled.