When it comes to landmarks in Milan, Italy, the San Siro is a proud part of the city's cultural fabric. The grand old stadium, aesthetically beautiful and just six kilometres away from Milan's famous Duomo cathedral, has played host to football's biggest matches, and some of the world's most famous musicians have performed there. "You never really get used to the roar of the San Siro," Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has said.

Locals call it "Le Scala del Calcio" -- the Cathedral of Football. "The atmosphere is unique and is a mix of passion, fear, tension -- it is really difficulty to maintain a right balance mentally," writer and journalist Marco Dell'Acqua tells ESPN, having been an AC Milan fan for 45 years.

"You have the ultras of Milan in la curva sud, while Inter's ultras are in la curva nord," he adds, referring to the south and north ends of the stadium, which feature opposing fans from Milan's two clubs, AC Milan and Internazionale. "Those Milan derbies are breathless."

SOC
Edin Dzeko shows ageless class as Inter use recent history lessons to rock Milan

San Siro has been AC Milan's home since 1926, with Inter Milan joining them in 1947. The 11 spiral towers outside intersperse with the sweeping ramps around the periphery of the stadium, which holds 80,018 spectators.

It's a venue loved by locals, but it has also become a burden to both clubs -- they lose millions in potential revenue due to the stadium's antiquated facilities, and in the sport's modern era, with most big clubs playing in state-of-the-art, multipurpose arenas, the hallowed ground has become unsustainable.

"I love the San Siro," Nima Tavallaey Roodsari, Italian football journalist and chief news editor of SempreInter.com, tells ESPN. "It's the most beautiful stadium in the world, and at night when the lights shine up into the evening sky on a crisp Milan night, there's nothing like it. The noise is incredible. But it's no longer fit for purpose."

Due to its unique design, it would be brutally difficult to renovate and, one way or another, both clubs are ready to move out of their famous home. But ever since plans were unveiled for their joint project, called "The Cathedral," in 2019 -- a new stadium built on the site of the old stadium -- San Siro has become symbolic of the city's current dilemma as the ground is at the centre of political posturing, footballing frustration and sentimentality. Those desperate to preserve Milan's heritage are pinned against others who love the place but understand the urgency for both AC Milan and Inter to build a new home fit for purpose.