Machiavelli meets Sun Tzu: Tale of two Milan football teams
By Jon Van Housen and Mariella Radaelli
For all his Machiavellian maneuvering, Silvio Berlusconi could well have been the one blindsided in early June.
It was just the latest turn in a saga that has seen Berlusconi appoint his then-29-year-old daughter to run the club, and a decline in victories, rankings and brand value for the storied football team. It also followed a murky series of reports throughout last year that “Mr. Bee”, a little-known Thai businessman, was willing to pay half a billion euros for a 48 percent interest in the debt-laden club.
In bars and trattorias across northern Italy, football fans were likely scratching their heads and wondering why someone would pay such a vast sum for a minority interest.
Whatever the plans, the sale of Inter Milan puts yet another twist in the tale. Can Berlusconi finalize the handover of AC Milan, leaving both Milan Serie A clubs in foreign hands? Throughout his colorful political and business career he has above all proclaimed his abiding passion for Italy and its culture.
Of deeper concern to Italians is the ongoing sale of their national heritage.
“I will always cheer for Inter but my heart will not be the same again. No doubt about that,” said Edoardo Montani.
Fabrizio Villa stressed that “for us who are fans of our beloved Milanese teams, it is not very satisfactory. Actually, it is extremely sad. We are Milanese, not Chinese.”
This commentary, published by the Khaleej Times in Dubai on June 29, continues here (pdf).
For all his Machiavellian maneuvering, Silvio Berlusconi could well have been the one blindsided in early June.
As the 80-year-old former Italian prime minister continued the latest protracted negotiations over the sale of the AC Milan football club, this time to a group of Chinese investors, cross-town rival Inter Milan was sold to Suning Holdings Group, the home appliance chain headed by Zhang Jindong, China’s richest man.
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| The 80-year-old former prime minister is preparing to sell his famed soccer team. |
The move took many by surprise as the deal was consummated with no prior fanfare. Posters promoting Inter Milan and Suning were up the next day in the Beijing metro.
With a reported June 15 deadline looming to finalize the sale of AC Milan, Berlusconi checked into a Milan hospital for heart surgery.
It was just the latest turn in a saga that has seen Berlusconi appoint his then-29-year-old daughter to run the club, and a decline in victories, rankings and brand value for the storied football team. It also followed a murky series of reports throughout last year that “Mr. Bee”, a little-known Thai businessman, was willing to pay half a billion euros for a 48 percent interest in the debt-laden club.
 |
| Zhang
Jindong scored by sealing the purchase of Inter Milan with no prior fanfare. |
Whatever the plans, the sale of Inter Milan puts yet another twist in the tale. Can Berlusconi finalize the handover of AC Milan, leaving both Milan Serie A clubs in foreign hands? Throughout his colorful political and business career he has above all proclaimed his abiding passion for Italy and its culture.
Of deeper concern to Italians is the ongoing sale of their national heritage.
“I will always cheer for Inter but my heart will not be the same again. No doubt about that,” said Edoardo Montani.
Fabrizio Villa stressed that “for us who are fans of our beloved Milanese teams, it is not very satisfactory. Actually, it is extremely sad. We are Milanese, not Chinese.”
This commentary, published by the Khaleej Times in Dubai on June 29, continues here (pdf).
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