Napoli, councillor Cosenza: "Ready to sell to De Laurentiis" | OneFootball

The issue of the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium and its redevelopment in view of the bid to host the 2032 European Championships continues to dominate public debate. Edoardo Cosenza, the Naples City Councilor for Infrastructure and Transport, addressed the complex situation during the program "A Pranzo con Chiariello" on CRC, not holding back criticism of past management and the current contract with Napoli Football Club.

Euro 2032, Cosenza: “It's important to advance the Maradona project”

Cosenza immediately pointed out the structural problem of the “tegolini” and the maintenance that has been neglected for years. But the main issue is economic: “Napoli has an absurd contract with the City of Naples for the management of the stadium at 900 thousand euros per year,” stated the Councilor, highlighting the gap with other European realities, such as PSG which pays double and invests in maintenance. “Inter and Milan pay 3 million euros a year for the rent of the Meazza. Let's be clear: the contract with Napoli for the Maradona Stadium is a loss for the City,” he thundered, adding that the money paid by De Laurentiis is less than the expenses incurred by the administration.

The financial issue is crucial for the redevelopment work: “Given the amount paid by Napoli, explain to me with what money we should do it? With citizens' taxes?” Cosenza expressed hope that the new President of the Campania Region, Roberto Fico, a great Napoli fan, could provide the financial support that the De Luca Administration has denied, instead favoring the Arechi.

The Councilor did not commit to the overall cost of the redevelopment project, although he offered an initial estimate of about 200 million euros. The crucial deadline is July 2026: by that date, the project for the refurbishment of the stadium must be executable and approved to be included among the stadiums for Euro 2032.

Cosenza then opened up to dialogue with President Aurelio De Laurentiis, although he described it as “not the easiest thing in my life” and denied any quarrels with Mayor Manfredi, whom he described as intellectually averse to disputes. “Everything is negotiable. If Napoli wanted to buy the entire Maradona Stadium area, we would be ready to sell it,” provided there is an adequate offer. He emphasized that the volumes under the first ring, if removed, would allow for the creation of commercial squares and restaurants.

Finally, on the hypothesis of a new stadium in Caramanico promoted by Napoli, Cosenza expressed skepticism about the decision-making speed of the ZES and reiterated: “The priority and importance of advancing the Maradona project, as otherwise there is a risk of not being able to compete” to host the European Championships.

Andrea Alati

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.