Sports

Inter, AC Milan Announce Bid To Buy San Siro Site For New Stadium Project

Published

7 months ago

March 12, 2025

Inter Milan and AC Milan made official on Tuesday their joint bid to build a new stadium on the site of the iconic San Siro after presenting a feasibility study to local authorities in the northern Italian city.

Part of the proposal includes an offer to purchase the land on which the current, city-owned stadium is situated, with the clubs saying that they were “aiming to complete the acquisition process by July 2025”.

“The document contains the proposal for the acquisition of the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium (San Siro) and surrounding areas, along with a feasibility plan for constructing a state-of-the-art stadium,” said the clubs in a statement.

“Over the next few months, the two clubs will engage with the Municipal Administration to discuss and refine the details and distinctive elements of the proposal… The final concept and executive project may eventually be presented at a later stage and are not part of today’s submission.”

Last week, the mayor of Milan Giuseppe Sala said that he was hoping to sell the site “by the summer holidays”.

Giants of European football, Inter and Milan have long desired to replace the current San Siro with a modern arena, and in October relaunched a joint project which was abandoned in 2023 after it spent over three years winding its way through the bureaucratic and political corridors.

Before any demolition of the current ground happens, a new stadium, which in the previous project was planned to have a capacity of 60,000 but this time has reportedly been increased to over 70,000, would be built to the immediate west of the current ground, on car parking and a local park.

Work would not begin before next year’s Winter Olympics when the current San Siro will host the opening ceremony, and any sale of the public land would have to pass through the city council.

There has been unease from councillors across the political spectrum, with anger at what they see as a bypassing of local democracy as Sala tries to force through the project to avoid becoming the mayor who allowed two of the world’s biggest football clubs to leave the city.

A source told AFP that anger is such among councillors that a vote on the sale of the land could go either way.

Fans meanwhile have expressed concern that a new stadium would lead to further increases in ticket prices as high-end hospitality areas replace seats for regular supporters who regularly number more than 70,000 for both teams’ home matches.

AFP

Sports

Ballon d’Or 2025: Full List Of Winners

Published

2 days ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

In a night of celebration and surprises at the Théâtre du Châtelet, the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony crowned new champions in men’s and women’s football. PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé emerged as the men’s winner, capping off a stellar season that saw him lead his club to Champions League triumph.

Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmatí made history by securing the women’s award for the third consecutive year. Here’s the complete rundown of all the major awards from football’s most prestigious gala.

Men’s Ballon d’Or
• Winner: Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)

The 28-year-old French star beat out fierce competition from Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. Dembélé’s pivotal role in PSG’s European success, including key goals and assists, propelled him to the top. This marks his first Ballon d’Or and continues a trend where winners since 2013 have been 28 or older.

Top 5 Rankings:
1 Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)

2 Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

3 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Women’s Ballon d’Or
• Winner: Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona)
Bonmatí became the first player to win three in a row, despite Barcelona’s loss in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final to Arsenal and Spain’s defeat to England in the Euro 2025 final. Her standout performances as the best player in both the Euros and Champions League sealed the deal, edging out Arsenal’s Alessia Russo and Barcelona’s Mariona Caldentey.

Other Major Awards
• Kopa Trophy (Best Young Player, Under 21): Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
The 18-year-old wunderkind took home this award without contest, with speculation swirling about his potential for the senior Ballon d’Or in future years. Yamal’s speech humbly acknowledged the bigger prize ahead.

• Yashin Trophy (Donnaruma): Now in Manchester City, however the Italian shotstopper was pivotal during PSG’s quest for its first European glory.

• Men’s Club of the Year: Paris Saint-Germain
Honoring their dominant 2024-25 campaign, including Champions League victory. The Paris crowd erupted as DJ Snake presented the award amid chants.

• Women’s Club of the Year: Arsenal
Recognized for their undefeated run in the Champions League and overall excellence.

• Coach of the Year: Luis Enrique

Highlights and reactions
The evening was a mix of glamour and minor gaffes—think awkward dance breaks and a quirky DJ presentation—but the focus remained on the stars. Dembélé’s win has sparked debates on X and beyond, with fans crediting his team’s support while others lament Salah’s perennial near-miss. “What does Mo Salah have to do?” one BBC commenter quipped.

Bonmatí’s third win cements her as a legend at just 27, though some voices argued for Russo’s dual Euros and Champions League heroics. Real Madrid’s boycott drama from 2024 was absent this year, with their stars like Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior attending gracefully despite missing the podium.

Sports

Ballon d’Or: 2025 Women’s Club Of The Year Emerge

Published

2 days ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

Arsenal Women have been named the 2025 Women’s Club of the Year at the Ballon d’Or ceremony held in Paris on Monday night.

The award comes after a historic season for the Gunners, who lifted the UEFA Women’s Champions League, defeating Barcelona 1-0 in the final in Lisbon. Stina Blackstenius scored the decisive goal to hand Arsenal their second European crown.

Beyond their European success, the North London side also impressed domestically, finishin second in the Women’s Super League and reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup..

The Women’s Club of the Year award recognises not only on-field success but also the club’s wider contribution to the growth of the women’s game.

Arsenal’s strong development structure, international recognition, and fan engagement were also factors behind their recognition.

Sports

Ballon d’Or: PSG Win Best Team Of The Year

Published

2 days ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

Paris Saint-Germain have been crowned the Best Team of 2025 at the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in Paris on Monday night.

The French champions, who enjoyed a remarkable season both domestically and in Europe, were recognised for their consistency and dominance across competitions.

The French giants enjoyed an extraordinary 2024-25 season, capturing four major trophies: the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France, the UEFA Champions League, and the Trophée des Champions.

They also reached the final of the FIFA Club World Cup, underlining their quality and ability to compete with the very best across continents.

The Best Team award at the Ballon d’Or gala highlights the Parisians’ evolution from domestic dominance to genuine European and global contenders.