Cardinale dismissed the chatter about his takeover, which was helped by a vendor loan, and more in the second part of a lengthy interview with Corriere della Sera.
“The rumors are garbage. The reality is that we fully control the club, and I’ve paid €600M. The continuity with Elliott was a virtue. We opted for a pure financing, without any share, which I will repay in three years with a solid interest. I chose that over involving the banks. I have great respect for Paul and Gordon Singer.”
Cardinale was quizzed about the Moneyball model.
“It’s crucial to understand that the data is just one of the instruments in our toolbox. It doesn’t mean that we don’t scout. That’s a ridiculous notion. It was written 20 years ago. Everybody uses algorithms nowadays. European football isn’t baseball and requires a different level of sophistication. We believe to be on the cutting edge.”
Cardinale stressed the importance of building a new stadium.
“The premises in San Donato are encouraging. The early meetings were productive. It’ll be innovative and fairly close to the Duomo. It’s a missed opportunity for Milan, and we regret that. I esteem Mayor Giuseppe Sala. I’m disappointed because some minorities who oppose everything out of prejudice blocked our project in La Maura. It would have been the greenest arena in the world. Despite the red tape, I don’t regret investing in Italy. I feel at home here.”
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