Fifteen months of pandemic, unsolved structural problems. The crisis of Serie A and of Italian football in general is deeper than you think. And if from a technical point of view the national team is back on good levels under the guidance of Roberto Mancini, who will remain on the bench until 2026 thanks to the renewal announced on Monday 17 May, on the other issues the president of the Football Association Gabriele Gravina he is awaited by a complex job.
Anti-crisis table
Gravina has set up a technical table with Lega Serie A, Lega B, Lega Pro, AIC and AIAC to facilitate a comparison also with some representatives of the companies in order to investigate the most urgent solutions and favor the ideal conditions for the system to return safely. The first meeting, with the participation of leagues, clubs, technical components and some representatives of the clubs, was called for Friday 21 May. In the meantime, meeting the most urgent needs expressed by the assembly of the top flight clubs, Gravina proposed to the Council, which approved by unanimous vote, to postpone the verification for the clubs of A of the payment of the March emoluments in the month of June, however necessary for registration for the next championship.
Loading…
The salaries for March have been postponed by a month
The clubs had asked for a more drastic intervention and a cut of two months to be agreed with the union and the players. The risk, many club leaders denounce, is default. «It is a principle that I do not share – however, Gravina ruthlessly -. It contradicts other behaviors. But in moments of extraordinary exceptionality we must take into account the difficulty, we must also use a little common sense. And moving a month’s salary seems to me to be common sense. Many companies have already paid in March, April and even May. I don’t like the principle anyway. “
Roof to increase in salaries
Also on the proposal of the federal president, the Federal Council on Monday 17 May approved the principle of a new rule that imposes the blocking of the transfer campaign for Serie A and Serie B clubs that exceed the total cost of the contractual amount determined by the contracts. multi-year contracts in place for the 2021/2022 football season and do not provide suitable guarantees for the surplus. The detailed determination of the new discipline will be approved at the next meeting of the Federal Council, following the meeting of the technical table on the economic crisis convened for Friday, May 21. “It is an important rule in terms of cost containment,” said Gravina in the press conference that followed the Council meeting and then return to talk about the reform of the championships.
Serie A with 18 teams
«There is an idea and a project on which I have worked and which I will submit to all the components, if this happens, starting from the 2023/24 season we will have an 18-team Serie A. I’m interested in a reform of the Italian football system, much broader than Serie A. The 18-team championship is becoming a common theme for other federations as well, as are the play offs and play outs. It means that we were forerunners of the times. As early as Friday it could be the first step to discuss this reform ».