The news of Silvio Berlusconi seemed unreal at first – now it is exciting how long the 85-year-old billionaire will use his power in the football frenzy of Monza

MONZA. The itching tension intensified day by day over the past week until the unlimited joy finally erupted on Sunday night at 10:17 p.m. At the same time, decades of waiting came to an end.

The football club of Monza, the third most populous city in Lombardy, Italy’s largest region, secured the first promotion in the men’s main series to Serie A at the time, winning the Pisa final 6-4 in the two-part promotion round. The velvety spring evening in northern Italy had already broken down into the night when the wildest festivities moved from U-Power Stadium to the city center.

The achievement of the 110-year-old AC Monza makes a special and also internationally interesting Silvio Berlusconi, which, through its giant Fininvest, has been the main owner of the traditional club since September 2018, with the team still playing third in the top league in Serie C.

The barefoot monzala is the operational right hand of the controversial media mogul, the politician and the country’s former prime minister. Adriano Gallianiwho held a similar position from 1986 to 2017 in Milan for 31 years, winning as many as 29 national and international trophies.

The seamless cooperation of the familiar strong duo again produced the highly sought-after and expected result again this time.

Friday, September 28, 2018 was still a warm and sunny day in summer in Monza. The atmosphere could be sensed with sparkling electricity after the city’s football club had announced it was hosting an important media event. Even then, it was known what was almost certain to come – let it be that the information, which had gradually become big news, seemed almost unreal.

But it was absolutely true: Galliani, who spoke at the event, announced that Fininvest and Berlusconi had bought the club from a local businessman. Nicola Colombolta. Born in Monza and already involved in the club leadership before Milan, Galliani assured that the new ownership base is ready to invest quite significant sums in the operation to achieve a rise first in Serie B and then in A.

The place in the second series of Italy was confirmed after the special “interest rate period” 2019-20 was interrupted two years ago in March, when Monza was considered to have already had a sufficient lead. Last season, on the other hand, ended in a big disappointment with the team finishing third in Serie B and dropping out in the semi-finals of the promotion round. Until this spring finally rotted.

In the spring of 2022, it seems almost unreal in Monza that Lombardy was just two years ago one of the most critical and hardest-hit Corona regions in Italy. Football and the success of the local club had a symbolic healing effect already at the rising party in 2020, not to mention now that the main league place has been secured.

With a population of 124,000, Monza is the eighth largest city in Italy to have never played in the men’s Serie A. So far, the closest had been in the 1978-79 season, at the end of which Monza played in a rematch for Serie A but suffered a 0-2 loss to Pescara on the neutral ground in Bologna.

43 years has been a long and colorful period, the various stages of which the club’s grown-up supporters still remember amazingly well. Players, coaches, club leaders and owners have come and gone, but only Berlusconi and Galliani managed to realize their already desperate dreams.

Although Monza’s long-awaited rise to Serie A has now come to fruition, the big question is: how long will Berlusconi, in September 86, and Galliani, in July 78, be able to spend their time, strength and money on top-notch football? At least Berlusconi is known to have had significant health concerns during the first part of the year.

– The increase would be especially important at the end of this season, the club boss told the media after the first qualifying final in Monza’s 2-1 home win.

– This is because Serie B is really tough next season. Cagliari, Genoa and Venezia, who dropped out of Serie A, are sure to invest very large sums in their teams under the leadership of their wealthy owners.

Despite their uncertain future, Berlusconi and Galliani have already achieved a great deal. In addition to the two Series Ascents, the experienced grand duo has renovated Monza’s home stadium, Brianteo, into the current U-Power Stadium, acquiring well-known players and significantly increasing the townspeople’s interest in local football.

It is clear that while playing in Serie A, Monza will have to compete for its home crowd, attention and general interest against Inter and Milan, the big clubs in Milan, just ten kilometers from the city. It is at least as certain that Monza will not be third in this race.

At the same time, the city’s central location north of Milan in the prosperous economic area of ​​Brianza, with a population of almost two million, is essential. The club’s home stadium is well located for relatively easy transport links. It would come as no surprise that Berlusconi and his staff would want and try to further develop the infrastructure of the stadium area.

– He has become a real Superfan of Monza, Galliani, who has been a child since then, referred to Berlusconi’s possible intentions in April on the DAZN television channel.

– His financial capacity is a crucial resource for us. When combined with my own passion, we can achieve something very special.

As a sports venue, Monza is internationally known mainly for its racetrack and F1 races, but now with the rise of the football club’s main series, the situation changes somewhat. The upcoming August-September is a hectic time in the city as Monza debuts in Serie A just before the classic and massive GP weekend.

When the Ascension was finally confirmed on a gentle spring Sunday night, the center of Monza was celebrated wildly but at the same time surprisingly restrained. Berlusconi, on the other hand, did not cover up his ambitious goals.

– Next we have to win the Italian championship and the Champions League, because I am used to succeeding. Monza and Milan have done just good for the well-being of my heart, the 85-year-old billionaire announced in Pisa as soon as the settlement ended.

Until it dawned on Monday morning and a new week. In the same place where a few hours earlier had been celebrated and noisy, work was done again normally and the backpack was walked to school. The present, the past and the future naturally met.