The current Serie A champions, Napoli, are reportedly considering building a brand-new stadium after their current stadium, the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, was branded a ‘dump' by Chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis.
Although the stadium was renovated as recently as 2009, it has long been considered a problematic home for Napoli. The running track around the pitch is far from ideal for the fan experience, while the third tier is completely unused for safety reasons.
The stadium is also owned by the city municipality, making it difficult for Napoli to do exactly what they want to it.
De Laurentiis bemoans the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona
Speaking at an event in Milan, De Laurentiis highlighted Napoli's small matchday earnings in comparison to the two Milan clubs. Speaking about how much Napoli can earn through matchday revenue in the Champions League, De Laurentiis said:
“We can only get up to three million in that Maradona dump. I would like a stadium with 70,000 seats, 120 skyboxes and 8,000 parking spaces.”
De Laurentiis went on to say that renovating their current home isn't a realistic option, as it would take six years, and the club would be forced to close parts of it while the work is undertaken. Instead, the De Laurentiis is searching for '30 hectares to build a beautiful stadium'.
Change is on the way in Italy
De Laurentiis' comments on the need for a new stadium in Naples come in the same week that it was announced that Inter and AC Milan are planning on demolishing San Siro after purchasing the iconic stadium from the city of Milan.
The two Italian giants plan to build a new modern arena in its place, which would pave the way for a ‘boom' in Italian football after a couple of decades of lagging behind the Premier League and La Liga.
FGG says: Now could be the time for Napoli
While some people may accuse De Laurentiis of being disrespectful towards Napoli's home stadium, the Chairman may have a point. If Napoli are to stay at the top of Italian football and become more competitive in the Champions League, they need to generate more income. The best way to do that in the modern game is via a brand-new stadium.