Italian football is at a crossroads, and Lega Serie A President Ezio Simonelli is urging decisive action. "We can either continue turning the other way, or turn this deep crisis into an opportunity to revitalize the sport," he told the Commission for Culture, as the search for a new FIGC President heats up and reform proposals take center stage.

The numbers paint a stark picture. Italy's national team has failed to qualify for three consecutive World Cups, and no Italian clubs have reached the semi-finals of UEFA competitions this season. But Simonelli insists the problems run deeper than recent results. "If we are here today, it's not just because we missed two penalties in the shootout with Bosnia," he said. "We must work hard to bring Italian football back to the glories of the past."

One of the most glaring issues? Stadium infrastructure. While TV rights revenues have stagnated across Europe's top five leagues, matchday income from stadiums has soared—except in Italy. "Our Serie A stadiums are the oldest in Europe," Simonelli pointed out. "Compare the new Bernabéu with the current San Siro, which is still our best-performing Italian stadium. The gap is 350 percent. Real Madrid's new home generates €250 million annually, while San Siro brings in just €70 million."

This isn't a new problem. Clubs like Inter, Milan, Roma, Lazio, Napoli, Fiorentina, Cagliari, and Venezia have spent decades tangled in red tape trying to build new stadiums. Those who have succeeded—Juventus, Atalanta, and Udinese—did so by renovating existing arenas rather than starting from scratch.

With Italy co-hosting EURO 2032 alongside Turkiye, the clock is ticking. Five stadiums need to be ready for the tournament, and Simonelli made it clear that inaction is no longer an option. "The politicians have a choice," he said. "They can keep looking the other way, or they can seize this moment to revitalize Italian football."

For fans and players alike, the hope is that this crisis becomes the catalyst for change—before it's too late.