March 25 – Italy’s football federation (FIGC) signed an agreement with the Chinese government on Sunday to develop footballing ties between the two countries but stopped short of agreeing to play Serie A matches there.
Taking top-flight games to China within the next three years was reportedly at one stage on the agenda with Chinese officials but after the meeting Serie A president Gaetano Micciche ruled out the possibility though backed continuing to take the Supercup overseas and maybe some other domestic cup games.
Italy regularly stages its annual meeting of the Serie A champions and Coppa Italia winners abroad, with Saudi Arabia hosting the most recent game in January. The fixture has already been played four times in China, twice in Qatar and once each in Libya and the United States.
“I don’t think it’s a road we (Serie A) can travel in the next few years,” Micciche told reporters. “We could discuss the Supercup or some Coppa Italia matches.”
While China may have been ruled out, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has made the bold suggestion that the opening rounds of Serie A matches should be staged in other European countries.
“I’d use August to play a few Serie A matches around Europe,” he said. “Why not start the Serie A season in Paris, London, Berlin, Madrid or Barcelona? Italian fans would not lose out as most of them are at the beach in any case.”
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