The Milan coach is against moving the match against Como to Australia. Which comes back into question after the step backwards in the Spanish La Liga. Here’s why…
In Spain we will end up in the courts, because La Liga threatens to sue the players’ union for the protests that caused the match between Villarreal and Barcelona to be moved to Miami. In Italy it is expected, in the sense that playing AC Milan-Como in Pweerth, 14 thousand kilometers from San Siro, unavailable for the Winter Olympics ceremony, no one likes but for now it remains a project in progress.
After Rabiot and Maignan and also following Fabregas, it was Max Allegri’s turn to have his say and explain that he would prefer to do things differently: “First of all we are waiting for a final decision, when it arrives we will behave accordingly. If we stay in Italy, better. If we go to Perth we will organize ourselves as best we can because it is an important match with three points up for grabs”. Nothing compared to the definition of “folly” used by Rabiot, but not even a fully corporate position.
More than Allegri’s position, however, what has been calling into question the Australia project in the last few hours is what is happening at the top levels of world football. It’s no secret that La Liga’s step backwards has put the spotlight back on the issue, after UEFA had given its green light while confirming its opposition to moving championship matches abroad. Having created two precedents had enormous weight, despite the promise that they would be two exceptions waiting to fill the regulatory gap in this regard. Now that Spain has stopped, Nyon has officially made it known that he continues to think as before and that is that the championships must remain where they are.
What’s missing from the green light to move to Australia
The Lega Serie A moves forward, but the final approval of the move of Milan-Como is still missing two non-trivial formal steps. The first is that of the AFC which is the oceanic football confederation. And right here, according to the rumors published by The Guardianthe debate is developing, with pressure on Oceanians to oppose it so as to remove the chestnuts from the fire for UEFA (I would like to, but I couldn’t) and for FIFA which will have to pronounce last.
President Gianni Infantino has already expressed his doubts, but it’s one thing to say you don’t like it and another to go to the count and stop everything. This is why to date the idea of Serie A in Australia remains standing, and the League is pursuing it with conviction, but with a little less certainty than a few days ago. Certainly, as Allegri hoped, a decision will need to be reached quickly to allow the entire organizational system to get in order, especially if part of the championship has to be transferred to Perth.
It means sending teams, staff, televisions and equipment for the VAR to the other side of the world: an army that will cost between 3 and 4 million euros and which will erode part of the attendance fee guaranteed by the Australian organizers to Milan, Como and the League itself.
