Stadiums never built in Italy Some of the first promised and then unfulfilled revolutions that could have changed Italian football

They have been pompously announced with dedicated press conferences along with futuristic renderings by internationally renowned architects, but very often all the big words spent have remained such and never turned into concrete facts. When we talk about stadiums in Italy, on the one hand there is the sacredness of the place of worship, a sacred place full of happy and unhappy memories, where every Sunday people gather on the steps to support their colours. But on the other hand there is also a bit of embarrassment, most of the Italian stadiums are dilapidated, in disastrous conditions and with the athletics track that separates the field. Italy's last big chance to get a makeover was the 1990 World Cup, and from then on they slowly fell into an oblivion from which only a few lucky clubs managed to re-emerge.

Udinese and Juventus are two of the virtuous clubs that have turned their words into deeds, delivering a new modern stadium to the city with excellent results. And the clubs' coffers have also benefited: not having to share part of the takings with anyone else has allowed the clubs to speed up their growth, becoming ever stronger financially. The pandemic has obviously slowed down this process, since in recent years the stands have remained empty or with reduced capacity, but despite everything, at least in Italy (given the ease with which large structures are built outside our borders) bureaucracy has done the rest. Most of the projects have been stalled due to exemptions, permits and laws that are sometimes too stringent and backward, which have not allowed many teams to build the necessary facilities. 

As Roma - Colosseum

Siena's stadium is perhaps one of the most futuristic in Europe, a true amphitheatre able to camouflage itself among nature and able to accommodate 21,000 people. The stadium, in addition to living 7 days a week, had to be one of the most sustainable ever seen, because in addition to being powered only by renewable sources, only recycled materials were used for its construction. It's a pity it never came to fruition, as it could have undoubtedly become one of the most beautiful stadiums on the Italian scene, capable of blending past and future in a single infrastructure.