On Monday morning news broke one of the most iconic venues not just in football, but sport.
The San Siro. The home of AC Milan & Inter Milan. Two of European footballs most successful football clubs, is set to be demolished.
This is a stadium that can hold over 80,000 people, a stadium that's hosted four European Cup finals along with two World Cups (1934 & 1990) and the 1980 European Championships since it was built back in 1925.
It's been the home to Milan legends such as Franco Barsei, Paolo Maldini, Kaka, along with Inter heroes like Ronaldo, Lother Matthaus, Javier Zanetti and many, many more.
You'll do well to find a stadium in world football that can boast more history than this place but it appears that it only has three more years of life left, with the Milan clubs confirming their intention to move into their new home by 2022.
AC have been pushing for a move for some time now and for the last few years it looked like they'd break away from their rivals and build their own home, with them releasing designs for a 48,000 capacity stadium back in 2015. Some Milan supporters weren't keen on moving to a smaller new home, but this joint venture with Inter will ensure that isn't the case. Code Block!
Here are the first pics of the “New AC Milan Stadium” in the Portello-Fiera Milano City area, Pavilions 1 and 2 ©ARUP pic.twitter.com/MmTheEYbx4
— AC Milan (@acmilan) February 4, 2015
Meanwhile neighbours Inter have always been in favour of renovating the San Siro until recently. Chiefs at the club were reluctant to move on from their famous home but it appears that after consulting with AC and with many part of the stadium in decline, they decided to make the big decision.
The two clubs are working closely together to submit design plans to the Milan authorities as they bid to get the ball rolling. The new stadium is expected to be in the region of 60,000, meaning it'll be a significant drop in capacity from their current home, but it'll be one of the most innovative, state-of-the-art stadiums in the modern game.
The location of their new home will be close to the San Siro so the re-adjustment for the fans shouldn't be too severe and they also won't have too long to wait to see it getting built.
Although they will have to get used to seeing something else in its place after AC President Paolo Scaroni said "We're building a new stadium near the old one. San Siro will be demolished and there will be new buildings in its place."
Work is due to begin at the end of the upcoming 2019/20 season, with the aim being that they can move into their shiny new stadium by the start of the 2022/23 campaign.
Their new home will undoubtedly be absolutely magnificent as most modern day stadiums are, but it has an enormous job on its hands if it's to replicate the soul, character, passion and history of the San Siro.
One of the great venues to ever grace the game and an Italian classic, Serie A will never be the same again.
