Only a handful of places in Italy feature more prominently in the country’s rich sporting tapestry than Monza.
The simple mention of the small Lombard town conjures pictures of its famous racetrack, the world’s third purpose-built motor racing circuit after Brooklands and Indianapolis and the oldest in mainland Europe.
With the exception of 1980, Monza has hosted the Italian Grand Prix every year since 1949 and has staged more Formula 1 races than any other circuit.
Ten miles south of the racetrack, the U-Power Stadium, traditionally known as the Stadio Brianteo, is a relative newcomer to Monza’s sporting scene when compared with its more storied neighbour.
Opened in 1988 to replace the Stadio Gino Alfonso Sada, which hosted the Biancorossi for 43 years, the Brianteo was a long time coming.
Plans to build a new ground were originally approved in 1980 and the first stone was laid two years later, but protracted difficulties in the construction of the structure supporting the roof of the main stand and repeated changes to the original project delayed construction.
With AC Monza languishing in Serie C, the Brianteo remained sparsely populated at the best of times with average attendances dipping below 2,000.
Silvio Berlusconi’s arrival in 2018, however, proved to be the catalyst for change for the Brianzoli who returned to Serie B two years later after a 19-year absence and then secured a maiden promotion to Serie A in 2022.
Under the ownership of the former AC Milan boss, the Brianteo underwent a near-complete revamp, with the capacity increasing from under 5,000 to just north of 17,000.
Between 2019 and 2022, the dugouts were completely renovated along with the West and East stands, while new hospitality boxes and new dressing rooms were built and a modern illumination system was implemented.
Today the U-Power Stadium is a modern addition to the Serie A landscape.
Stadio Brianteo factfile
- Capacity: 17,102
- Club: Monza
- Opened: 1988
- Address: Via Franco Tognini 4, 20900 Monza
How to get to the Stadio Brianteo
From Monza main train station
- Z206 bus from Porta Castello stop towards Monza (Della Robbia) – 12 stops to Viale Sicilia stop, followed by a five-minute walk
- Z304 bus from Porta Castello stop towards Gessate M2 – Seven stops Viale Sicilia stop, followed by a five-minute walk
From Monza’s Old Town
- Z206 bus from Piazza Carducci stop towards Monza (Della Robbia) – 13 stops to Viale Sicilia stop, followed by a five-minute walk
By train from Milan
Monza is about 15 minutes away from Milan by train and it’s served by numerous regional services from Milan Garibaldi train station. The S7 or S8 to Lecco both stop at Monza, as do the S11 to Chiasso and the R14 to Bergamo.
How to buy public transport tickets
Public transport in Monza is operated by ATM, the same company that runs public transport in Milan, which means you can just tap your card when boarding public transport instead of buying a ticket.
Tickets, however, are available at ATM ticket offices and authorised selling points throughout Monza and Milan’s metropolitan area.
Tickets can also be bought through the ATM app, which can be downloaded from Apple Store and Google Play.
Much like London, Milan’s metropolitan area is divided in zones, meaning the further you travel the more expensive the trip is. Monza is in zone 4 and a single ticket valid for 105 minutes costs €2.60, while a daily ticket comes in at €9.10.
How to drive to the Stadio Brianteo (U-Power)
The ground is approximately a five-minute cab journey from Monza’s main train station and around a 30-minute drive from Milano Centrale, Milan’s main train station. Milan Malpensa airport is a 45-minute drive away.
- A1 motorway from Melegnano: Take the Milano Sud exit onto the ringroad northbound and then take the Monza – S. Alessandro exit, then follow signs to the stadium.
- A4 motorway from Turin and Malpensa: Take the exit to Cormano, heading north onto the Milano-Meda ringroad towards Meda. Take the northbound motorway after Cormano, then take the Monza – S. Alessandro exit and follow signs to the stadium.
- A4 motorway from Venice: Take the Monza Tangenziale Nord exit, then take the Monza – S. Alessandro exit and follow signs to the stadium.
- From Linate Airport: Take the Tangenziale Est, Linate / Viale Forlanini exit and head north, taking the slip road on the northbound motorway, then take the Monza – S. Alessandro exit and follow signs to the stadium.
Destination Calcio visited in September, 2024, arriving by car, and found free parking nearby outside Epetrol.
How to buy Monza tickets
Tickets can be bought online via VivaTicket or in person at authorised VivaTicket sales points and as well as the Brianteo.
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