Galliani Confirms AC Milan Exit After 27 Years

AC Milan vice-president, Adriano Galliani, has confirmed that he will resign from his position, after 27 years at the club.

Speaking to Italy's ANSA news agency, Galliani revealed he would be tendering his resignation in the next few days and will leave the Serie A club, "whether we reach an agreement on a pay-off settlement or not."

"I've suffered grave damage to my person," Galliani said. "This is not the way to deal with a generation change. It should be done with elegance. I will be resigning with just cause in the coming days, or maybe I will wait until after the Champions League game with Ajax [on Dec. 11]."

Galliani, alongside Berlusconi, presided over five Champions League triumphs and eight Serie A titles, but have seen the Rossoneri begin this season in terrible form – they now occupy the worst league position at this stage of a season since 1981.

Galliani however feels he will be departing with his head high, having delivered success to the club.


"It's been said that Milan spend their money badly and we don't have a scouting network like Roma and Fiorentina," Galliani is quoted as saying by the Gazzetta dello Sport. "Well, Roma only qualified for the Champions League once in the past five years while Fiorentina didn't make it once.

"Milan have not made a loss in the past two years while other clubs have mountains of debt. Last year, all of our youth teams made it to the final four. Big presidents from abroad are all calling me, asking me what is going on because they cannot understand it.

"I went to Madrid this summer to sign Kaka without any appointment and they threw open the doors to the offices of Real for me. When I went to Barcelona in August 2010 to sign [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, president [Sandro] Rosell cut short his family holidays on purpose to greet me."

Despite the sense of bitterness at his exit, Galliani insists he will continue to support the club.

"Stepping down before the Ajax game seemed too hostile an act towards the team, who I will support for the rest of my life," said the 69-year-old. "My affection for the president Berlusconi is unchanged and unchangeable."