Graziano Mannari has his favorite San Siro moments and who can blame him? In March 1989, he came on as a substitute for AC Milan, who were already in second place, against Juventus. “The crowd was in full celebration mode,” he said. sky sports.
“They shouted ‘Ole’ every time we passed. The ball continued to cycle beautifully between the whole team (Franco Baresi, Mauro Tassotti, Carlo Ancelotti and Marco van Basten) and every time it was touched, another ‘Ole’ cry rang out from the stands.
“In my head I kept thinking, ‘I want to touch the ball and get my own ‘Ole!’” But the ball never went my way until Roberto Donadoni put in a perfect cross. I got up and curled a diving header into the top corner.
“There were no soft ‘Ole’ chants at that time. The stadium erupted in thunderous applause. The moment I landed I couldn’t believe I had scored, but my teammates came running and hugged me. Later I scored again to make it 4-0. It was a dream.”
Mannari’s memory is one of thousands of special San Siro moments. The following month, AC Milan beat Real Madrid 5–0 in the semi-finals of the European Cup, marking a shift in power in the game and ushering in an era of Italian domination on the continent.
The following year’s World Cup hosted the opening match at the San Siro, with Cameroon dominating Diego Maradona’s Argentina. It has been the site of many great matches, moments and even photographs since its founding in 1926, including Inter’s 6-3 win over Milan.
Marco Materazzi and Rui Costa watching a Champions League match in 2005
Old images of Milan’s Rui Costa and Inter’s Marco Materazzi watching sparks fly inside the San Siro have become iconic. Unity and division. Beauty and the Beast. These are snapshots of some of the Italian game’s most impressive and most volatile moments.
Inter’s legendary captain Javier Zanetti played in that match. “It will always be a stadium that brings back memories,” he said. sky sports. “And that has resulted in many victories.” My personal favorite was his debut. “I never imagined it was the first of 858 games.”
Javier Zanetti during his time at Internazionale
Christian Eriksen’s Inter Serie A debut began in the Derby della Madonnina. He would go on to score match winners. “It’s an amazing stadium,” he said. sky sports. “The end of Milan and the end of Inter, different curves. History speaks for itself.”
For Mannari, that history symbolizes soccer as high culture. He compares it to La Scala. “Just as Milan’s famous opera house hosted the most beautiful performances and the greatest artists, this stadium also presented the best matches,” he says.
But now, 100 years after it all began, the clock is ticking on San Siro. Plans are afoot to bring it down. “They’ve been saying that for the last 10 years,” Eriksen said, looking slightly incredulous. But the plan is gaining speed after Congress approved the sale.
Milan and Inter will now become owners and share rights and responsibilities for the construction of the new stadium, which will be built on the west side of the San Siro area. “They want to keep some of the old stadium intact,” Eriksen added. It’s part of the plan.
Iconic Stadium Design
His regret for the old place is understandable. Iconic is a word that has been so overused that its meaning has long been diluted, but there is no other way to describe the San Siro. Wembley has always been a force of its own, but so has the Maracana. that Stadium in the mind’s eye.
The concrete towers and protruding red girders spiraling into the sky look like a spaceship under construction. Another place comes to you. The incongruous San Siro can be seen from miles away. Like all cathedrals, it was designed to inspire awe.
“Playing at San Siro, with the towering ring of stands close to the pitch on all sides, you feel like you’ve entered another dimension. You can’t even hear your own voice talking to your teammates – you have to shout,” explains Mannari.
“When the crowd cheers or whistles in denunciation, the ground literally shakes. It’s a unique, indescribable feeling. It’s hard to imagine unless you experience it firsthand. It’s the most beautiful stadium I’ve ever played in.”
But what makes it beautiful? It’s a little harder to explain. When it comes to depicting stadiums, San Siro may be an early effort, but is that due to nature or reputation? In the world of polished stadiums, it feels different. And even more so now.
Meets modern requirements
Andrew Edge is an architect specializing in stadium design. The company he works for, Arup, is currently working on a project to renovate Fiorentina’s new stadium. He is well placed to discuss aesthetic aspects, but he also appreciates the role of the amphitheater.
“The stadium is a fundamental part of the club’s history, but has often been the setting for the story, but today we are seeing modern designs that place the stadium firmly at the heart of the club’s image or brand, making it stand out and be instantly recognizable around the world,” he says. sky sports.
“The stadium is the stage setting that allows fans to experience memorable matches or events, so when designing a new stadium it’s really important to understand the essence and soul of the club and identify the key elements that will make the stadium very different and special.”
And to not lose them. Part of the second floor will be used to build the new San Siro. “When people think of San Siro, there are features that are immediately identifiable. For example, the red roof trusses or the spiral ramps are all part of the stadium’s DNA. These special features should be recognized and used as inspiration,” says Edge.
A general view of the interior of Giuseppe Meazza San Siro Stadium in Milan in the late 1980s.
“When designing a new stadium, it’s really important to respect the strong emotional connection fans have with their existing stadium. The transition has to be managed and it takes time. It takes time to get used to it, get used to it, understand how it operates and start to form an attachment or bond to the new stadium.
“To make this transition successful, physical reference points and nods to past stadiums must be incorporated into the new design: personal stories on the walls, photos of famous players, memories of specific goals or incredible matches.
“It’s about how you tell ‘your’ story. It creates emotion, inspires fans, creates an incredible atmosphere and creates a truly special stadium with an iconic design.
‘A golden opportunity for Milan’
“Milan has a fantastic opportunity to create another version of San Siro. You have the perfect ingredients: the unique history of both teams, an iconic stadium that deserves equal recognition, all set in a global city like Milan and taking inspiration from history, architecture, fashion, music and food, making it very special.”
Change is needed. One of the many catalysts for this move was the fact that the San Siro was deemed unsuitable as a host venue for Euro 2032 in its current state. It’s unimaginable. However, it is a result of modernity and changing consumer demands.
“The evolution of stadium design has certainly increased over the last 20 years, not only in terms of what we think of as a stadium, but also what fans expect when they arrive at the stadium.
“We are always analyzing the fan experience to understand every step of their journey through the space we design, from their seat bowl to their seat. How will fans interact with the physical space of the stadium? How will they feel? What will they hear?
“It’s about creating a space that stimulates human emotions and stimulates the senses. It’s about creating drama and excitement with authenticity.
“The pace of this evolution continues to increase. There is natural competition between teams and stadium owners, for example, to get more seats or the latest technology. But the world is changing too. Trends change, fashion changes.
“Fan expectations are also increasing, so as stadium designers we need to adapt, react and design accordingly and allow the stadium to evolve with this flexibility.
“Clubs are constantly modifying and changing their stadiums and the experience they provide. Some of these new stadiums are less than five years old!” Many Italian stadiums are identical to Italia ’90.
‘I will always be at San Siro’
A new San Siro was always inevitable, given that “reconstruction projects can be much more difficult to bring up to modern standards”. The opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics is scheduled to be held next month at the old location. But we are now in the final stages.
Even people who have more reason to express their feelings on the topic can understand the need for change. “You might miss the historical part, but I think it needs an upgrade,” Eriksen admits. Zanetti, currently Inter’s vice president, is delivering a message.
“Everything has changed,” he explains. “I think a team as important as Inter in the world needs a new, state-of-the-art stadium. The important thing is that it is always at San Siro. I hope we can create special memories there too.”
And San Siro will once again echo the cry of ‘olè’.
