The Stadio Artemio Franchi played host to one of the most dramatic games in its storied history on Sunday afternoon, with Fiorentina surrendering a three goal lead before ultimately triumphing over Torino thanks to a late winner from Romulo.
Home to the Viola since 1931, the concrete banks of the Curva Fiesole and the iconic ‘Tower of Marathon’ have become, to fans of Calcio at least, as much a part of the Florentine landscape as the Duomo or the river Arno.
Nevertheless, having last undergone extensive renovation during preparations for the 1990 World Cup, the venue’s best days are arguably well behind it, and plans to relocate are most definitely at the forefront of the club’s hierarchy.
If the city’s former deputy mayor Dario Nardella is to be believed however, the country’s currently draconian stadium laws could unfortunately scupper any potential new developments, at least in the short term.
In an interview with Radioblu this week, Nardella spoke of the possibility of a new ‘English-style’ Artemio Franchi, free from the restrictive pitch-side barriers that obstruct the view of a large number of spectators, but went on to suggest that such a stadium could be the best part of a decade away from becoming reality.
“If we were to [build] a new stadium, it will take years. Probably eight,” Nardella said. “If, however, the new [stadium] law came into force then the timing could decrease by a couple of years,” he continued, before assuring supporters that any renovation work undertaken on the current Artemio Franchi would “absolutely not undermine the project of constructing a new stadium.”
The “new law” referred to by Nardella relates to the on-going proposals known as the ‘Legge Stadi’ which if passed – and it is a big ‘if’ – would make it far easier for clubs to build and maintain their own stadiums with the support and assistance of the local council.
Juventus currently remain the only club in Serie A to fully own their own stadium, and the Bianconeri’s recent resurgence can undoubtedly be attributed to the increase in revenue that a privately owned arena has afforded them.
With UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulation of club’s only being allowed to spend that which they generate imminently set to come into effect, clubs such as Fiorentina will need to identify alternative ways to increase revenue in order to remain competitive, and leasing a stadium from the city council unfortunately is not a viable solution.
Italian football is already widely accepted to have been on something of a downward spiral during the last decade, with the game’s brightest stars keen to ply their trade elsewhere, while the country’s dwindling UEFA coefficient ranking has resulted in the loss of a Champions League berth that was once taken for granted.
It therefore does not take any great leap of the imagine to predict a future in which the only significant revenue stream open to clubs like Fiorentina would be in selling off their brightest playing assets, which could only result in a further weakening of the league.
Nardella’s near decade-long forecast for a new stadium in Florence that would be fully owned by the club is therefore something of a concern in terms of the club being able to generate the revenue needed to maintain its recent progress on the pitch and comply with UEFA’s stringent financial limitations at the same time.
So while overtaking AC Milan and qualifying for next season’s Champions League would be a nice reward for the efforts made by Vincenzo Montella and his side throughout the current campaign, it could also be essential in ensuring the Viola remain competitive both on the pitch and off it.
Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevertonFC_84
