Berlusconi splits AC Milan's CEO post to please both his daughter and his friend Galliani

Saturday, 30 November 2013. Nope, Adriano Galliani will not leave AC Milan, and the football club team owned by Silvio Berlusconi will have two General Manager, Galliani and Barbara Berlusconi.

Silvio Berlusconi (left) watching an AC Milan's  football  game with the
one of the club's CEOs' Adriano Galliani (right), and friend Flavio Briatore (centre, of course)

AC Milan's CEO Adriano Galliani was “seriously damaged” by the allegations made by the club's owner's daughter – Barbara Berlusconi – about his incapacity of creating a winning team and keep the books in order. 

And he was so cross about the situation that he released an interview saying he was about to leave the football club, after more than 27 years. But a Solomonic Silvio Berlusconi decided to try and make peace between the two, invited the friend for dinner in his villa in Arcore, and gave a sop to (apparently) both contender...


The role of chief executive will be split, Adriano Galliani will be responsible for the sporting area, Barbara Berlusconi will deal with the other sectors of the club's activities.

Furthermore, the AC Milan's owner and president Silvio Berlusconi promised to be “closer to the club and the team” in future, especially as he was recently booted from the Italian Senate, due to a definite conviction for tax fraud, and has more spare time now.

Loads of time on his hands, girlfriend Francesca Pascale and/or other lady friends permitting.

New AC Milan's CEO, in charge for “anything else”

This appears to be a solution to ferry the club to the end of the season, when Galliani is still expected to leave, as well as the head coach Allegri, in order to give way to the 29-year-old Barbara Berlusconi and her new ideas.

Adriano Galliani and Barbara Berlusconi talk to each other in the aftermath of the dinner, vowing to behave themselves and pay heed to the words of their president and father respectively (their relationship – however never idyllic - degenerated after a 2-0 home defeat to Fiorentina on November 2).

Asked for comments, Galliani said “For me what [Mr Berlusconi] says has been sacred for the last 34 years. His words need no comment.”. Needless to say that the news hit the headlines in Italy.

During Galliani's era AC Milan won 28 trophies, including eight Scudettos (i.e. Italian Serie A league titles), five UEFA Champions Leagues and the World Club Cup. Good ol' days.