Berlusconi family set to sell Monza days after politician's death

Serie A side Monza could be set for sale after the family of recently deceased owner Silvio Berlusconi reportedly decided to dispose of the politician’s beloved club just days after his demise. 

Berlusconi, who also owned Serie A giants AC Milan between 1986 and 2017, passed away after battling leukaemia on June 12th, aged 86, leaving behind Monza in the Italian top flight as one of his estate’s assets. 

With the former Italian prime minister gone, his family has apparently decided to sell the club that their patriarch left behind, hoping to divert their efforts to other sectors. 

According to the Corriere della Sera newspaper, the family has decided to cash in on their inheritance by selling Monza and ending their long-standing involvement in Italian football. 

Before Berlusconi’s death, Monza had sought new investment after successfully navigating the first-ever Serie A season in the club’s history, but will now seek entirely new ownership, which could see current CEO and long-time associate of Berlusconi, Adriano Galliani, also step down from his role at the club. 

Galliani, who is also a politician, could be set to take over Berlusconi’s commitments to the Forza Italia political movement if the club is sold, and the former AC Milan chief has noted that he would be willing to do anything the Berlusconi family asks of him. 

He said, “For the love I have for Silvio Berlusconi, I will do anything I am asked to do in any sector. 

“At the moment, nobody has talked to me about standing as a political candidate in Monza, nor about the future of the Monza football club.”

Monza fans will be hoping that a sale will not translate to a change in fortune for the club, which enjoyed a steep upward trajectory under the guidance of the late Berlusconi.