Reports are spreading that the first football played in Italy after the coronavirus lockdown will be the Coppa Italia semi-finals on May 27 and 28, with Serie A following a few days later.
The suggestion first emerged last night following a series of meetings between the various parties involved in organising the sport.
Reports are spreading that the first football played in Italy after the coronavirus lockdown will be the Coppa Italia semi-finals on May 27 and 28, with Serie A following a few days later.
The suggestion first emerged last night following a series of meetings between the various parties involved in organising the sport.
It’s widely believed training will resume after the lockdown order is eased on May 4, with the FIGC (Italian Football Federation) drawing up a protocol for swab and blood tests once a week.
When it comes to the first football played in Italy after the crisis, that is likely to be the Coppa Italia semi-final, tentatively pencilled in for May 27 and 28.
They are already half-way through the ties, as the first legs ended Milan 1-1 Juventus and Inter 0-1 Napoli.
Resuming from the Coppa would have several benefits, giving the other clubs time to prepare for the start of the Serie A season around May 30-31, and being free to air in Italy, as the rights for this tournament are with State television Rai.
It’d enable all people in the country to watch rather than just those with Sky or DAZN accounts.
The idea would then be to play a Serie A round every three days, concluding some time between mid-July and August 2.
In order to keep players isolated and constantly monitored, they’d go into a pre-season-style training retreat, but this is something the AIC (Italian Players’ Association) is not in favour of.
The FIGC had been due to hold a conference call with various elements of the Italian football world, but it has been postponed to April 23.