Silvio Berlusconi celebrates 30 years at Milan and used the occasion to call Manuel Locatelli the new Andrea Pirlo and to say Gianluigi Donnarumma will not leave as the Rossoneri intend to build a new winning cycle based primarily on Italian players.

30 years ago today, Silvio Berlusconi bought Milan and turned them into one of the biggest clubs in the history of football with 28 trophies won in this period, including 5 Champions League trophies.

The Rossoneri are undergoing a difficult period right now as they haven’t played in Europe in the last two seasons but as il Presidente puts it – football works in cycles and he – as a man of helped revolutionizing Italian football in the past – is working to build a new winning Milan.

“No team can win forever, there are cycles that end,” Berlusconi told Mediaset Premium on Friday. “We’re starting a new one as a team of Italians. It makes me upset to see big clubs without Italian players. I would like to see an all-Italian Milan. We have an Italian defense and midfield, we only lack the forwards.

“We are also focusing on young players. With the arrival of Manuel Locatelli, there are six players [in the first team that grew up in the Milan academy]. I see Locatelli as the new Andrea Pirlo. Mattia De Sciglio is also an Italy international and Gianluigi Donnarumma, at the age of 16, is admired by all and will not leave Milan, no matter what offer comes in. He will be the goalkeeper of Milan for the next 20 years.

“Donnarumma is a great kid. He is very solid physically and also in his mind and character. I think he can be the symbol of Milan in the future. Carlos Bacca [currently Milan’s top scorer]? He is a great and mature guy. He is a ruthless scorer. In many times he is not involved in the game because today’s Milan does not practice well how to be the masters of the field and we’re talking with the coach about it.

“However, when Bacca gets the ball he hardly makes a mistake. Bacca was a good acquisition and he is an important for our future. Winning the Coppa Italia or finishing in third place? Both.

“The coaches over the last 30 years? I think these past 30 years have been marvelous years as well as successful ones. In Arrigo Sacchi I saw the right man to start a new and entertaining style of football. As for Carlo Ancelotti, I think his best quality was good common sense. Fabio Capello’s best characteristic was determination. I have to say that before the latest option [Sinisa Mihajlovic], I did ask Capello if he wanted to come back to Milan, but he has a rather more enviable ambition which is to enjoy his life!

“I think I gave an important contribution to changing football in Italy, above all with my and Sacchi’s Milan. Filippo Inzaghi? I gave him faith as a Coach, but perhaps he wasn’t ready yet. His Milan couldn’t control the game. I said it to him many times, but he probably needed time to mature first,” added Berlusconi, who also revealed that in 1999 when Milan won the Scudetto, he called Zvonimir Boban and others and told them to follow his instructions other than those of coach Alberto Zaccheroni.

“The temptation to buy Diego Maradona? I almost signed Maradona, but he had become Napoli’s captain and I don’t buy [other clubs’] captains. Just liked I was tempted to buy [Roma captain] Francesco Totti. With [former Lazio captain] Alessandro Nesta however, I only bought him when he was put on the market.

“Ibrahimovic? He has both class and power. He can win games by himself and has always won in every team. I believe that [in the summer when he’s a free agent] he will have very important offers from the UAE, the United States & China – where football is exploding – and we won’t be able to match those offers.

“Shevchenko? Nobody that loves football could not fall in love with Shevchenko. He played in an artistic way. Next to him I see Ronaldinho as another football artist. But Sheva was what we call the genius.

“The most important game in 30 years and the best memory? It’s definitely Milan-Steaua in Barcelona [in 1989 when Milan won 4-0 in the final of the European Cup]. After the fantastic semi-final against Real Madrid, Barcelona because another Milano. The audience was great with the Camp Nou turning into San Siro. It was a great game, a great team that scored great goals and this match will always be in my heart.

“The most touching moment? Van Basten’s farewell. Marco was the champion of elegance. His goal against Russia in the Euros was one of the best in the history of football. He’s a great man but he was unfortunate because he had to retire in the best moment of his career, his farewell was painful.

“Mister Bee? He made a concrete and interesting proposal with regards to restaurants, soccer schools and merchandising. This plan could guarantee €100m per year from China and another nine countries in Asia. It is important for us to commercialize the brand so we can compete with other clubs who have important economic resources arriving from oil. Bee’s potential role at the club? He would only be taking care of the commercialization of the brand, whereas the sporting control would remain with us.”

Berlusconi and Milan will certainly hope that the next years can be as successful as the last 30 have been. Despite the ups and downs, the name Berlusconi and AC Milan will always go hand in hand.