Monza president Silvio Berlusconi has promised the club’s players “a bus of whores” if they beat Serie A big boys AC Milan (opens in new tab) or Juventus (opens in new tab) later this season.
On Wednesday, a video emerged on social media of the former Italian Prime Minister talking about the rather crude incentive. At a Christmas dinner with the team on Tuesday, he said (quotes via Reuters (opens in new tab)):
“I told the guys … now you will play Milan, Juventus. If you win against one of these top teams, I’ll bring a bus of whores into the locker room.”
To anyone familiar with Berlusconi’s history, these remarks will come as no surprise: the 86-year-old – who owned AC Milan for more than three decades – gained notoriety for his ‘bunga bunga’ sex parties.
In 2015, he was cleared of having had sex with an underage prostitute at one such event.
Under Berlusconi’s ownership, Monza gained promotion to Serie A for the first time in their history last term, triumphing in the Serie B play-offs.
The Biancorossi have made a solid start to life in the top flight, winning five of their opening 15 games to sit 14th in the table before the World Cup break.
They return to action in the New Year with a trip to Fiorentina; they also travel to Juventus (who they beat 1-0 at home in September) twice in January – in the Coppa Italia then the league – before hosting Milan in February.