A crucial week begins in the race against time to have a Serie A Sinigaglia ready by the start of the championship. A challenge within a challenge for Como 1907, which has been involved in a series of trilateral institutional meetings in recent weeks (Prefecture, Police Headquarters, Municipality) to best prepare the project for finalizing the stadium. A temporary setup, it is clear, in view of the facility of the future, but still essential to allow fans to enjoy the spectacle of the top flight, over twenty years after the last Italian appearance.
If everything goes according to hopes (which are shared by all the actors), even more than according to plans, it cannot be ruled out that the finalization work for Sinigaglia will start as early as the last week of June. Which would mean being able to legitimately hope – with a bit of luck – that the city won’t lose even a single home match.
The distincts and the curve
Last week passed with the adjustment of a whole series of issues related to the security issue. In particular, the chapter on cameras external to the system was addressed. A chapter that should not hold any surprises, given the general willingness – at the moment informal – of Como to take on the work requested by the Police Headquarters. Furthermore, inspections were carried out to clarify the critical issues.
And so, in order. As is known, the most substantial works concern the concrete structure of the distincts. Declared unusable years ago due to the deterioration of the concrete itself, this is where the major construction efforts will be concentrated. On this front the project is already ready and the construction site simply needs to be given the green light. But there are some variables that could be discussed this week, and which risk extending the time. The first: escape routes. Compared to twenty years ago, the legal prerogatives for a facility open to the public to be considered compliant in terms of escape routes have changed. And therefore Como will have to increase entrances – and exits – given the amount of public who will use the badges. The second: it is rumored that the Como club wouldn’t mind creating a refreshment area – read bar – where there are now the low stands for distinguished players, which therefore should be removed in whole or (easier) in part.
Among the rumors circulating in recent days, there is one regarding the curve on the garden side. There would be a desire to recover the portion towards the grandstand which is currently closed to the public. To be allocated, not to the guests but to the Como fans, so as to increase the spaces for the Como supporters. This is a desire that, at present, appears difficult to achieve. Because it involves important interventions on the safety front also inside the stadium.
The external gates
Then there is the whole question, far from secondary, of the management of the external area around the Sinigaglia. There have already been several meetings between the Police Headquarters and Como to define the barriers to be installed to divide the fans. Meetings which led to the outline of the necessary interventions, on which the company has already expressed its consent. These include a fixed barrier between the gardens and the stadium area for the entire duration of the construction site.
The issue of the influx of buses that will accompany the guest ultras has also been resolved: the plan is to use the asphalt strip that connects Viale Corridoni to Viale Puecher, the one – to be clear – where there were electric cars for children and which passed next to the mini golf. This would free up an important slice between Viale Sinigaglia and Via Vittorio Veneto, where adequate spaces need to be found for TV trucks. Lots of irons in the fire, little time. But the A is worth the gamble.
