Galliani turns down Monza presidency as club is sold to US fund

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MONZA, Italy (AP) — Monza CEO and Vice President Adriano Galliani is leaving his boyhood club after American fund Beckett Layne Ventures completed the purchase of the Italian second-division club on Thursday.

The closing of the sale — which was agreed in July — also sees the Berlusconi family leave soccer again.

Monza said in a statement that BLV has “officially taken control of the club” with an 80% stake. Fininvest, the Berlusconi’s family holding company, retains a 20% stake but that will be transferred to BLV by next June.

The 81-year-old Galliani said he turned down BLV’s offer of the Monza presidency.

“This morning I communicated to the new ownership, who I sincerely thank for the opportunity, and to Fininvest my decision not to accept the position of Monza president that was offered to me,” Galliani said in a statement.

“It was a difficult choice, I was born and raised in Monza, Monza is the soccer team I have supported since the age of five, I made this decision to be able to dedicate myself as best as possible to the other activities I am involved in, but also to leave the new ownership and new management maximum freedom to imprint their own vision and carry forward their projects for the future of the club.”

Fininvest purchased Monza in 2018 and oversaw the club’s rise from the third division to Serie A. But the club based just outside Milan finished in bottom spot last season and was relegated to Serie B.

Fininvest was previously controlled by the late Silvio Berlusconi — the three-time Italian premier who died in 2023. Berlusconi owned AC Milan from 1986-2017 and he and Galliani led the Rossoneri to 29 trophies in 31 years.

BLV is paying a reported 30 million euros ($35 million) for Monza. Financial details of the deal were not announced.

Founded by Brandon Berger and Lauren Crampsie, BLV is a financial partner and strategic adviser for companies operating in the sports, media, and entertainment sectors.

“We wish to thank the Berlusconi family and the Fininvest Group for their collaboration throughout the months of work that have brought us to this point,” the duo said in a statement.

“We would also like to extend our gratitude to all the professionals who have already welcomed us to the club and facilitated our integration during the shared management phase, beginning with Adriano Galliani, to whom we extend our warmest wishes for the future.”

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