Monza

AC Monza – Club History

Associazione Calcio Monza, founded in 1912 in Monza, a city in Lombardy just north of Milan, is one of Italian football's most remarkable modern success stories. For most of its existence, Monza was a modest club that spent the majority of its history in Italy's lower divisions, never having competed in Serie A in its first 110 years. That all changed dramatically when former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi — already a legendary figure in Italian football through his transformative ownership of AC Milan — and his long-time associate Adriano Galliani acquired the club in 2018 and set about achieving the impossible dream of reaching Serie A.

Under Berlusconi and Galliani, with a series of ambitious signings and significant investment, Monza climbed rapidly through Italy's divisions. They won promotion to Serie B in 2020 and then achieved the most remarkable achievement in the club's history — promotion to Serie A in 2022, for the very first time ever. Their debut Serie A season under Raffaele Palladino was an unexpected success, with the club finishing safely in mid-table and competing well against far more established opponents. Berlusconi passed away in June 2023, having lived to see his beloved Monza established in Italy's top flight — a fitting final football achievement for one of the sport's most influential figures. The club was relegated at the end of the 2023–24 season.

Serie A Era & Titles

Monza have never won a Serie A title. Their greatest achievement is simply reaching and competing in Serie A for the first time in their over 100-year history, in 2022. They have no major national trophies. However, their two Serie A seasons (2022–23 and 2023–24) were impressive for a newly promoted club, with a 11th-place finish in their debut top-flight season representing a significant overachievement relative to expectations.

Monza's story is less about silverware and more about the extraordinary achievement of a club that spent a century in Italy's lower leagues finally reaching the top flight — making it one of the most emotional and celebrated promotions in Italian football history.

Stadium

Monza play at the Stadio Brianteo (also known as the U-Power Stadium under naming rights), located in Monza, Lombardy. The stadium has a capacity of approximately 18,568 and was built in 1988. During the Berlusconi-Galliani era, the stadium saw significant renovations and improvements to prepare it for top-flight football. The ground is situated near the world-famous Monza Formula 1 racing circuit — a proximity that adds to the city's unique sporting identity. The atmosphere in the Brianteo during Monza's debut Serie A seasons was joyful and celebratory. Average attendances during Serie A years ranged between 10,000 and 16,000.

Most Famous Players

Given their brief Serie A history, Monza's most famous players are those who joined the club during its ambitious climb. Mario Balotelli, the divisive but gifted Italian striker, joined Monza and contributed to their Serie B title-winning season — a popular signing with the fans. Pablo Marí, Matteo Pessina, and Luca Marlon were key figures in the Serie A seasons. Silvio Berlusconi made headline-grabbing signings including former Italy international Stefano Sensi. Goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio was a standout performer before his move to Juventus. The ownership of Berlusconi and management of Galliani — who had previously worked together to make AC Milan one of the world's greatest clubs — gave the project an extraordinary pedigree.

Key Milestones

1912 – Club founded in Monza, Lombardy. 2018 – Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani acquire the club with ambitions of reaching Serie A. 2020 – Promoted to Serie B. 2022 – Promoted to Serie A for the very first time in the club's 110-year history — a historic milestone. 2022–23 – Debut Serie A season; 11th-place finish far exceeds expectations. June 2023 – Silvio Berlusconi passes away, having realised his dream of Serie A football with Monza. 2024 – Relegated from Serie A. Monza's journey from obscurity to Serie A in under four years under Berlusconi and Galliani is one of Italian football's most remarkable recent stories.