Genoa – «Without the idea and our will to come to Genoa two Mondays ago, we wouldn’t have made the breakthrough. It was essential to introduce ourselves. Incredible to be able to do the operation in such a short time. We are thrilled and proud.” As Matteo Manfredi and Andrea Radrizzani, among the reflections on Tuesday evening, at the end of an intense and furious day that changed the future of Sampdoria. «Nine days of fire, exhausting and full of emotions – continued Radrizzani – of stress. And now the responsibility of starting a new cycle».
The nine days are those of the acceleration. But the mad race against time had begun a few days earlier. The rumors about Andrea Radrizzani they reappeared (he had been linked to Sampdoria for months) in mid-May, on the Samp-Empoli weekend. Then, just as the blucerchiati were collecting the “manita” from Milan, on Saturday 20 May, Manfredi had thunderously come out of London: «We’re ready to close. We have already met Mayor Bucci about the stadium». And two days later, that “famous” Monday, the investor couple showed up at the Mugnaini, to visit it, escorted by the operating director Alberto Bosco and the director of the sports center (as well as team manager), Alberto Marangon. Then a move to Ferraris and a couple more institutional meetings. And the return to Milan, loaded to the brim. With the mad desire to close the operation «and the awareness, however, of having time as an enemy». Especially against the other competitor, the financier Alessandro Barnaba, who had been working on Sampdoria since last November and whom many considered almost the new owner of the company.
Another decisive step was Radrizzani’s phone call to Nasser Al Khelaifi, to talk to him about his “project sun”, as the Sampdoria operation was christened by the two investors. Obtaining from the board of the Paris Saint Germain Qatari fund the willingness to enter into a company, once all the issues with the previous property have been settled (release from the trust included), as part of a timeshare expansion project, the first piece of which was the Braga in Portugal. And then, from there, the agreements with Sace and the banks, with creditors and the taxman. And the beginning of the toughest negotiation, the one with Ferrero and Vidal. Between moments of trust and others of discouragement. Until the ninth day, the day before yesterday, Tuesday. When did the go-ahead for the capital increase arrive?
Nine «unforgettable» days for Manfredi and Radrizzani, who laid the foundations for the new era of Sampdoria. Manfredi is the protagonist who made ends meet in the investment operation. Radrizzani the one who in addition to the numbers follows the technical / sporting management. The agreements signed envisage the formation of an interim managerial position, until the closing in September, at the same time as the approval of that fundamental debt restructuring plan to be closed as soon as possible. Otherwise skip everything.
To begin with, Manfredi and Radrizzani will appoint the sporting director to whom to entrust the next transfer market. Radrizzani’s plan is to have meetings, probably next week, with the current management. So first with Mattia Baldini, current ds in office on expiry of the contract (like Osti and Faggiano). At the same time, however, Radrizzani is already carrying out exploratory meetings with sports directors and coaches with a suitable profile for the next Sampdoria. Which will start with 4 penalty points, even if the company will try to use its good faith to obtain a discount point: the money was available in the account, it was the timing of the negotiation that prevented it from being paid by 11.59pm. Reggina, penalized for other things, had been recognized.
Manage Capital and Aser ventures they can already appoint a general manager figure who will follow all the complex dynamics of debt restructuring step by step and will begin to coordinate the economic/financial management of the company. They will also be able to nominate a person to support the board, even if not being part of it, but with the authorizations to have full and complete access to any type of document produced by the Sampdoria board.
Yep, the board. Just today she was convened the ordinary meeting of the shareholders of Uc Sampdoria with the approval of the financial statements at 31 December 2022 on the agenda. It will take place on first call on Friday 16 June at 12 on first call, again at the Corte Lambruschini headquarters. Second call on June 19th and third call on the 20th, coinciding with the day of the expiry of the terms for registering for the championship. From what has been filtered in recent months, the liabilities should follow that of 2021, i.e. around 25 million. Probably a little more.
This is the moment that also marks the term of office of the current Board of Directors, Lanna, Romei, Panconi and Bosco, who took office in an emergency situation and who were supposed to lead the company only until June 2022. And in fact the agenda of the meeting of 16 also provides for the renewal of corporate offices, both of the board and of the board of statutory auditors: chairman Pollio, mayors Cattaneo, Quercio, Brambilla and Castro. We will continue with a bridging board of directors until the closing, i.e. until September. Which current members could still be part of, unless someone opts out. But it is possible that Manfredi and Radrizzani will already let someone they trust enter the interim board.
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