Khaberni - Aurelio De Laurentiis, president of Napoli Football Club, described the team's stadium (Diego Armando Maradona) as "dilapidated," emphasizing the need for the Italian Serie A champions to have a modern stadium to boost revenues and enhance the fan experience.
Last season, Napoli celebrated their second Serie A title in three years after intense competition with Inter Milan.
The team plays its games at the stadium, named after the Argentine legend Maradona who led the team to Serie A victories in 1987 and 1990, and owned by the city municipality.
Speaking at an event organized by Bocconi University in Milan, De Laurentiis compared Naples’ matchday revenues to those of the Milan clubs, noting that Milan and Inter can make 14 million euros from the Champions League while Napoli's prospects are very limited.
He said, "We only earn three million at this dilapidated stadium named Maradona... Isn’t that a significant difference?"
Italy faces challenges in developing its stadiums amid pressure from foreign investors who have acquired a number of clubs, ahead of the 2032 European Championship hosted jointly with Turkey.
This week, Milan and Inter completed the purchase of the San Siro stadium and surrounding lands from the local authorities, moving forward with plans to demolish it and build a new stadium.
This summer, De Laurentiis strengthened the team by signing prominent players like Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, but he pointed out that such investments are difficult to sustain without increased stadium revenues.
He said, "I want a stadium that can accommodate 70,000 spectators, features 120 luxury boxes, and provides 8000 parking spaces."
He added that renovating Maradona Stadium, surrounded by an athletics track, would take six years and would lead to parts of the stands being closed and further reducing revenue.
De Laurentiis said, "We need 30 hectares to build a beautiful stadium."
