Monza is changing hands, sold to Americans. But he remains CEO of the Brianzoli club. A mission marked by the memory of his mother Annamaria and his friend Silvio Berlusconi.
The Years of the Condor
Adriano Galliani, active in football since 1984, served as Vice President of Monza and for decades (from March 24, 1986) as CEO of AC Milan. His “best years” encompass almost all of this period. With 29 trophies in 31 seasons at Milan, he commanded respect across Europe, with club presidents like Real Madrid`s Florentino Perez and Barcelona`s Rosell readily meeting with him. The recent years at Monza have also been among his best. On September 28, 2018, Fininvest announced the purchase of the club, which was then in Serie D. On May 29, 2022, he celebrated Monza`s first historic promotion to Serie A, where the team subsequently achieved an 11th-place finish. These best years were shared with one constant companion: Silvio Berlusconi. Their bond began on November 1, 1979, during a dinner in Arcore, where Berlusconi bought 50% of Galliani`s company, “Elettronica industriale,” key for Berlusconi`s media project. This professional partnership blossomed into a deep friendship. “There isn`t a day I don`t think of him,” Galliani says, his voice breaking every time.
A Childhood Dream
The emotional motivations behind buying Monza were Silvio and his mother, Annamaria. Berlusconi`s villa in Arcore is just a few kilometers from the biancorosso stadium, then called San Gregorio. This was where young Adriano went every Sunday after Mass, accompanied by his mother. “At five years old, she took me to see Monza for the first time, and from then on, I knew that when I grew up, I wanted to become the club`s president. I lost my mother when I was fifteen, so leading Monza to Serie A was a way to honor her memory.” There is no football executive more passionate than Galliani. Summer is transfer season, and he remains constantly connected, whether dining with his beloved family in Forte dei Marmi or traveling abroad. The “best years of our lives”… straight out of a movie: at four in the morning in Monte Carlo, Galliani still had the energy to negotiate a potential Milan signing for Geoffrey Kondogbia (who later flopped at Inter), amidst a brawl at the hotel casino that required police intervention, even squeezing in a quick greeting to singer Ivana Spagna, who was touring there. He dedicates the same, identical, commitment to Monza. He can recite every existing commercial contract from memory. This summer, however, feels different: the club itself is about to be sold to Americans. Fininvest would retain a minority stake until the closing, expected in a couple of months – a transition period during which Galliani will remain CEO, and then who knows. The agreement could be signed today. As Renato Zero sang: “The best years of our lives, hold me tight because no night is infinite.” This last night, perhaps, was a little longer than the others. With the arrival of day, Monza might be ceding command.
