"Unfortunately we are still in the depths of bureaucracy, there is little to add . The law on stadiums has partially improved things and simplified the procedures, but there are still too many entities involved, I don't know if we need a special commissioner or other interventions like those of the law on stadiums at the time. But today building a stadium in Italy is truly an ordeal".

This is what Cagliari Calcio president Tommaso Giulini said about the new stadium, during his speech at “Sport Business Talk” , the LegisLAB Academy webinar as part of the Master in Sports Club Management.

Regarding the new facility – which, it is confirmed, will bear the name of Gigi Riva – the rossoblù patron added: «I believe that the government must do something, there is talk of the 2032 European Championships that we will already have to share with Turkey, but it is essential to have those 5-6 stadiums capable of hosting them . It is also a question of competitiveness of Italian football, and on this the stadiums are a central issue, if not the main one to fill the gap that has developed over the years».

Giulini then touched on numerous other topics, both sporting and otherwise.

«POSITIVE MOMENT» – Regarding the start of the championship of Nicola's team, «we have retreated in the last two games – explained the president -, taking back those points that we had left on the road in particular between the away game in Lecce and the home game against Empoli. We are back in average safety, in a race that will be complicated: the newly promoted teams have the quality and availability to do very well, the new formats of the European competitions for Clubs will take energy away from the big teams and therefore the safety threshold could rise compared to previous seasons».

10 YEARS AT THE HELM – «This is the eleventh championship under my management, the ninth in Serie A: I always reiterate this with pride because it is never easy to stay in the top division, even more so for us with only a few Italian presidents and owners left at the helm», Giulini said, speaking of his experience as president.

And again: "Leading Cagliari, wearing the red and blue jersey is a huge responsibility because we represent a wonderful region and people, which I have been lucky enough to frequent for many years. In Sardinia, unlike comparable regions and lands - I'm thinking of Sicily, Corsica, the Basque Country -, only one team has reached the Serie A football league and won a historic championship. This alone makes you understand the meaning of Cagliari for the Sardinians who follow and support us on every occasion, from every part of the world. This is also why the word entrepreneur is not the right one in sports: football belongs to the fans, the teams belong to the fans, and we never remember it enough".

«RANIERI, AN EXAMPLE» – Giulini then spoke of positive examples, quoting Sir Claudio Ranieri: «I believe there is always a great need for positive examples to follow, for important messages. Our former coach Claudio Ranieri, right here in Bari – in a festive, full stadium, with Bari as the favorite and tens of thousands of people ready to rejoice – sent a splendid message not only to our fans but to all of sport: football must be experienced with balance, but above all with respect».

THE NATIONAL TEAM – The president also commented on the new course of the Italian national team: «As a fan I suffered for the European Championships, where the team and the coach gave too little: the fan at that moment always expects lynching and drastic decisions. From those resignations that did not arrive and that perhaps someone expected, what we are seeing now was born: a team that plays football, a coach who instills his ideas, quality young people, I like the analogy with that terrible night in Venice in 2022 and from which we started again. The Nations League is giving positive feelings, balance must be maintained because it is a young Italy that still has to make itself, but I am convinced that it will happen because I think there is a strong group, which probably had not yet been forged at the European Championships».

“CALL VAR” – A few considerations on the rules of football are inevitable: «VAR must first of all be understood, because it is subject to countless dynamics. I’ll give you a very recent example: against Juventus we saw two fairly “light” penalties. We wanted to clarify with the refereeing heads why in our penalty the entire action was evaluated from the beginning, which didn’t happen in the penalty for Juventus. The answer is interesting because it shows how often even many of us in the field are not on top of things. If in the first case the ball could have gone out and therefore the VAR could have intervened, in the second case the possible foul by Gatti was not a “VAR” case and should have been left to the judgement of the referee on the pitch. An answer that clarified a doubt of mine. Often – continued Giulini – the insiders and fans don’t know the rules perfectly and meaningless discussions arise, I think that the call VAR could be a good idea to increase the spectacle, we must work to improve in general, always. I also believe that a positive development could be to create real referee teams that last for the entire championship, given that sometimes there are communication gaps between referees and VAR staff."

BARELLA AT THE TOP – Finally, Giulini spoke about Nicolò Barella, the talent of Inter and the National team launched by his Cagliari: «Nicolò today is a complete midfielder, he can do everything in the middle of the pitch and he is now a formed player, a leader. The difference is this, compared to the other excellent Italian midfielders of the National team: there are guys of great quality and who work hard, but who still have to prove themselves. Barella is the present and the future of Italy and fortunately in Cagliari we know him well».

(Online Union)

© Riproduzione riservata