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One of the teams playing home games outside its country says “sacrifices are necessary” to defend its national league.
AsWho will you play against? AC Milan In AustraliaLet’s say the game is about “ensuring survival” serie a,
uefa has reluctantly given approval to hold the match Perth The following February, with a La Liga match between Villarreal and Barcelona in the United States in December.
Moving home games abroad has been heavily criticized by football supporters in Europe, but Como said in a club statement that “sometimes sacrifices are necessary”, pointing to the financial gap that has opened between Serie A and the Premier League.
“We understand that this travel may demand sacrifices in convenience, comfort and routine,” the statement said.
“Yet sometimes sacrifice is necessary, not for personal gain but for the wider good, for the development and, above all, for the survival of the league.”
Como’s statement noted that the Premier League’s latest television deals are worth more than £12bn over the current four-year cycle, while Serie A earns 900m euros (£781m) per year in its current domestic deal.
“We must ask ourselves honestly how we can retain our best players, build competitive teams and attract the world’s elite to Serie A if we do not adapt,” the statement added.
“This is not a matter of greed. Most clubs in Italy are not profitable. This is about ensuring survival and building a future where Serie A remains competitive, respected and globally acclaimed.
“Our goal is clear. We want to restore Serie A to the glory it enjoyed in the 1990s, when Italian football was the most watched, most respected and best-loved league in the world. To achieve this, we must evolve, unite and make Serie A the talk of the world again.”
Como said they would invite 50 fans to join them on the trip to Australia.
The statement concluded: “Together, we will show the world what Italian football truly represents: heritage, heart and hope for the future. Together we stand. Together we rise. Together we survive.”
UEFA cited uncertainty around the regulatory framework and claimed it was given no option but to approve the staging of the two matches abroad.
Its president, Alexander Ceferin, says the decision to grant approval was “extraordinary” and does not set a precedent. UEFA said its 55 national associations “have confirmed their commitment to engage with UEFA before submitting any future requests”.
Ceferin told the European Football Club General Assembly in Rome last week that taking the game away from local community roots risked football “breaking up”.
The plan requires final approval from FIFA, whose president Gianni Infantino warned that football was taking a “big risk” by playing domestic league games abroad.