Alessandro Del Piero warns Serie A is going into “uncharted territory” after the lockdown, but it can be a catalyst for much-needed change in the way football clubs are run. “We cannot hide anymore.”
The World Cup winner is now living in Los Angeles, but naturally keeping a close eye on the situation back home.
“We are all experiencing something that will change us forever,” Del Piero told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Alessandro Del Piero warns Serie A is going into “uncharted territory” after the lockdown, but it can be a catalyst for much-needed change in the way football clubs are run. “We cannot hide anymore.”
The World Cup winner is now living in Los Angeles, but naturally keeping a close eye on the situation back home.
“We are all experiencing something that will change us forever,” Del Piero told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“The situation in America is similar to what we saw earlier in Italy, just a few weeks late. There was first underestimation of the issue, then anxiety, now fear, but also awareness of the behaviour we ought to be taking and a sense of responsibility.”
The Serie A season is expected to resume from May 31, with training allowed after the lockdown period ends on May 3. It finds the Scudetto race finely poised, with Lazio one point behind Juventus.
“We cannot make predictions on what will happen, because this is totally uncharted territory. What we do have is teams with technical and human qualities, which make the difference during the tough times. Whoever has more of those elements will win.
“Juventus have a slight advantage, just because of the quality throughout the squad, but absolutely nothing can be taken for granted.”
The shutdown has seen several clubs put their employees on furlough, allowing everyone to realise just how many people are now involved in the huge football business.
“We have to take this opportunity to think really hard about how we want to progress, what needs to change and then really hit the reset button,” continued Del Piero.
“I don’t know what will happen, but we cannot hide anymore. What we mustn’t keep doing is look only at the present, without vision or business prospects. I think re-evaluating the kind of money we see in the business is by now inevitable. The balance between costs and revenue must not just guarantee a club can survive, but thrive over time, not be dependent only on a few results.
“We must then also face the problem of the rapport with the public. Italian football has isolated itself, it is distant from the fans, both for the image that players are given – often incorrect – and the stadiums being so unsuited to families.
“Italian football should open up to a more ‘American’ dimension in the way professional sport is run as a show, albeit maintaining our specific ideals and traditions. We need to cut down the regulation, focus on the spectacle of football, the image and competitiveness.”