Monza owner Silvio Berlusconi has pledged to fulfil his promise of sex workers to his players after they secured a stunning two-goal victory away to Juventus in Serie A on Sunday.
The Italian minnows are competing in Serie A for the first time in their history this season and leapfrogged Juve into 11th position in the standings thanks to their win in Turin. Before Christmas, Berlusconi promised his players he would send them a bus full of sex workers if they beat Juve.
First-half goals from Patrick Ciurria and Dany Mota, after Gianluca Caprari’s early strike was ruled out by VAR, were enough for Monza to secure a stunning win away to the Bianconeri. They are the first team to beat Juventus in each of their opening two top-flight matches since Inter in 1930.
Speaking at Monza’s Christmas party last month, Berlusconi proclaimed: "We have found a coach (Raffaele Palladino) who is good, friendly and capable of stimulating our boys. I have also given the players extra motivation and I have told them that if we beat Milan, Juventus... one of these big clubs, I send them a 'bus full of sex workers to the locker room' (un pullman di troie)."
Now Berlusconi has added, when quizzed about whether those comments still stood: "Over 100 people have already called me, and they ask me to fulfil my commitment."
A video of Berlusconi's speech was widely shared on social media. Fellow Italian politician Daniela Sbrollini has referred to the remarks as the "usual misogynist language from Berlusconi: a joke in bad taste that leaves you speechless."
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Berlusconi previously defended himself for using "a simple dressing room joke" and criticising his political opponents for their "total lack of humour" for attacking him "so gratuitously".
Berlusconi is best known for being Italy's PM between 1994 and 1995, 2001 and 2006, and 2008 and 2011 as leader of the Forza Italia party. He became a decisive figure in Italian politics due to his populist style, bold personality and turbulent private life.
Berlusconi has been involved in football for many years. He was the owner of Milan between 1986 and 2017, overseeing a hugely successful era in the club's history. They won eight Serie A titles and five European Cups during that time, among other honours.
Berlusconi, who is a billionaire, is still an active politician and was elected to the Italian senate in October after a three-year spell as a member of the European Parliament (MEP). The current Italian PM is far-right politician Giorgia Meloni, who was elected in October.
