May 25 – The Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, desperately in need of renovation, has been put up for sale by the city.
The Municipality of Naples is looking out for investors who can finance the stadium restructuring.
With a 54,726-capacity, Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, formerly known as the Stadio San Paolo, is in the western Fuorigrotta suburb of Naples, and is the country’s fourth largest football stadium.
Milan’s 75,817-capacity San Siro is the largest followed by, Rome’s 72,698-capacity Stadio Olimpico and Bari’s 58,270-capacity Stadio San Nicola.
It has been a remarkable season at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. One that saw Napoli celebrate first Serie A title win since 1990.
Having cut their wage bill by 15%, they were not predicted even to make the top four yet have now won their first Scudetto for 33 years with an insurmountable 16-point lead and five games still to play.
Napoli has won three Serie A titles, six Coppa Italia, two Supercoppa Italiana (annual Super Cup tournament in Italian football titles) and one UEFA Cup – but the club needs a modern stadium to maintain commercial momentum.
In October 2019, Napoli signed a new five-year lease agreement with that deal containing the option of a further five-year extension, potentially see the club pay there through to 2028.
The Mayor of Naples, Gaetano Manfredi, has recognised that the Maradona Stadium needs “extensive restructuring”, and the city wants any buyer to turn the venue surroundings into a Green hub with parks and premium entertainment facilities.
Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis is due to open talks over the new lease agreement, with rumours that he will make an offer to buy the stadium.
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