Giovanni Galli, regional councillor of Lega in Tuscany, has spoken out about the potential redevelopment of the Franchi stadium in Florence, expressing strong opinions on the matter. Galli’s comments were reported in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.
According to Galli, restructuring the stadium in its current location would be a mistake, stating, “Ristrutturare così questo stadio… Sarebbe un obbrobrio, anche se venisse completamente coperto. Per me è un disastro, si buttano via i soldi e non si risolve niente.” (Restructuring this stadium in this way… It would be an eyesore, even if it were completely covered. In my opinion, it’s a disaster, money is being wasted and nothing is being solved.)
Galli also raised concerns about the historical significance of the Franchi stadium, questioning its status as a tourist attraction, “Franchi vincolato? Rido perché è stato pure denominato ‘ad alta attrazione turistica’, ma non ho mai visto turisti giapponesi o cinesi venire a farsi le foto con quest’opera architettonica. Lasciamo perdere.” (Franchi limited? I laugh because it has even been designated as a ‘high tourist attraction’, but I have never seen Japanese or Chinese tourists come to take photos with this architectural work. Let’s forget about it.)
The councillor suggested abandoning the idea of using the current stadium for football, proposing a complete overhaul and the construction of a new stadium elsewhere through a competitive bidding process, “Credo si dovrebbe abbandonare l’ipotesi che questo impianto possa servire per il calcio. Si dovrebbe ristrutturarlo di sana pianta e poi realizzare uno stadio, nuovo, da un’altra parte, attraverso un bando.” (I believe we should abandon the idea that this facility can be used for football. It should be completely restructured and then a new stadium should be built elsewhere through a bidding process.)
Galli’s remarks have sparked a lively debate among football fans and officials in Tuscany, with the future of the Franchi stadium remaining a contentious topic.