During the presentation evening for Mediaset`s autumn schedule, Pier Silvio Berlusconi, the group`s CEO, discussed various topics, including football and his beloved AC Milan. He commented on the arrival of Ricci, calling him a “good signing” and emphasizing the importance of having a more Italian squad. He also expressed confidence in Allegri, considering him “the right coach” with “clear ideas.” Berlusconi, whose eyes light up when he talks about his father and Milan, spoke openly from one of Mediaset`s studios after midnight, proving to be a gracious host.
He touched on politics (“Right now, I have no intention of entering it, and it`s foolish to even talk about it. But in the future, as I say on many topics, I don`t rule anything out”), spoke about his son who loves boxing (“He has talent, and when I see him in the ring, I get emotional because I remember doing his sport myself. I dream of seeing him at the Olympics”), and recounted the four hours spent at his daughter`s dance recital. Naturally, he praised Mediaset and the “epochal” decision to bring back `Striscia la Notizia` in November. But then the conversation turned to football and Milan, and the Rossoneri fan in Pier Silvio emerged.
Berlusconi, now that your family has sold Monza, will you be 100% a Milanista again? The sale of Monza was finalized a few days ago, but as a family, our football adventure truly ended with Milan. My father and Galliani invented that dream, but it was *their* dream. And I say this with all the love and profound admiration I have for Galliani. The conditions weren`t right for anyone in the family to dedicate the necessary time to Monza, so taking the path we did was the right thing. I was tempted to try, but then my job and my history (as a Milan fan) led me to reconsider. Now Monza has an investor who believes in the project, and I think this is the best thing for the club and for us as a family.
So now you can speak freely as a Milan fan. The memories of the years at Milan are something indelible and beautiful. I wish Milan the best possible.
You didn`t stop following them even in recent years while you owned Monza. I always followed Milan with great affection. In fact, I`ve always remained 100% a Rossoneri fan. Living in Liguria, I developed a fondness for Genoa, but Milan is Milan…
What went wrong last year? I didn`t watch enough to say exactly what happened. And from the outside, it`s difficult to get into the details. But the results are plain for everyone to see.
The restart, however, is promising: Tare as sporting director, `your` Allegri as coach… I respect Allegri greatly for what he did with us. He gave us the last Scudetto of my father`s era; he`s skilled and has clear ideas. He is the right coach.
Among the signings, besides Modric who isn`t official yet, there`s Ricci, an Italian international from Torino. What do you think of him? Ricci is good. And he`s Italian: I think the choice to try and build a group of Italians is correct.
What do you wish for Milan fans? A rebirth. I wish it for myself and for all the fans.
By rebirth, do you mean the Scudetto? Let`s not say that word for now. It seems to me that for some years now, Milan has lacked a kind of harmony. Or rather, a true sharing of a dream.
The dream your father had in 1986 when he bought the club. To achieve a great undertaking, especially in football, you need something more than just the desire to do well. You need a dream, and you must believe in your ideas. Imagine if Cardinale now entered the Arena with the whole team aboard helicopters to the notes of the `Ride of the Valkyries`. What would they say about him? (smiles). They`d make fun of him every day… But my father was like that: unique. And he was right.
Almost 40 years have passed since the Berlusconi family entered football in 1986: what`s your assessment of these four decades? They were years of unique and unforgettable memories. It was especially beautiful to see the satisfaction in my father`s eyes for the results we achieved. To realize that his beautiful dream was coming true so quickly: winning everything while putting on a show. He left me passion and love for football, in addition to many unforgettable victories. But above all, he showed me that everything he talked about wasn`t just a dream, but something that could become reality with hard work. Many didn`t believe it, but…
Silvio Berlusconi, in short, is always present for you. Always. I had and have infinite admiration for him. What he achieved in every field was unthinkable. And he also passed on values, respect, and love for the family. Sometimes we`d argue about small things like Pardo`s beard or Papi`s red glasses frames: things he didn`t like and thought ruined a program. For the rest, however, he always let me decide for myself and never said no… He was exceptional.
Let`s conclude with Gattuso, a former Milan player managing the national team: do you like that choice? I like Gattuso at least as much as Allegri. I appreciate both technically and humanly: they are two great men and true leaders. I hope they both do well.
