Inter director Beppe Marotta is “very worried” that the postponement of the Juventus match will lead to more cancellations. “We must ensure Serie A is played regularly and competitively.”
The five fixtures for this weekend were meant to be played behind closed doors due to the Coronavirus outbreak, but this morning it was suddenly decided to postpone them to May 13.
Inter director Beppe Marotta is “very worried” that the postponement of the Juventus match will lead to more cancellations. “We must ensure Serie A is played regularly and competitively.”
The five fixtures for this weekend were meant to be played behind closed doors due to the Coronavirus outbreak, but this morning it was suddenly decided to postpone them to May 13.
Those games are Juventus-Inter, Udinese–Fiorentina, Milan–Genoa, Parma-SPAL and Sassuolo-Brescia, in turn shifting the Coppa Italia Final from May 13 to May 20.
“The decision was made a few hours ago by the Lega Calcio, which announced the postponement of the five games that were meant to be played behind closed doors. It was made very, very late,” Inter director Marotta told Sky Sport Italia.
“As a citizen, we are in an emergency situation and so must naturally have respect for the public health and safeguarding of that.
“As a club, we are faced with a sudden change of direction. I am already worried and looking forward, because if the regions should be locked down until March 8, I ask myself how we’re going to be able to work out next week’s games, for example Atalanta–Lazio, Bologna-Juventus, Inter-Sassuolo, etc.
“These are teams who have European games coming up, so we are in a very difficult situation. If the decision was made this weekend, it must therefore also be made for next week’s fixtures.”
Inter were forced to play their Europa League tie with Ludogorets behind closed doors on Thursday at San Siro, so why can the Italian clubs not do the same in Serie A?
“Inter have requested an urgent meeting to discuss the many delicate themes in the balance here, including ensuring the league is played regularly and competitively,” continued Marotta.
“We must try to adopt a single and fair regulation that can ensure the regularity of the tournament going forward, because I am frankly very worried looking already at next weekend.
“It’s a surreal experience playing behind closed doors, damaging to the teams and above all the fans. I honestly don’t see any other way out than to cancel next week’s fixtures too. This is why we need an emergency meeting as soon as possible.
“I don’t wish to cause any controversy. The Lega made this decision, we accept it, but this criterion affects many games, including Udinese-Fiorentina just hours before kick-off.
“Making a decision at the last minute could probably have been avoided. I am now worried about the future, because we don’t want to be in the same position next week.
“The principle is to respect the fans and the public health, but everything other than that could’ve been dealt with much better than this.
“This is an extraordinary and delicate moment with public health, economy and international reputation at stake, so sport is inevitably lower down that list of priorities, but I will say this decision could’ve been made far earlier and with greater clarity.”
Marotta used this as further reason for a revamp of the whole Serie A structure.
“The fixture list is very packed, above all with international fixtures, so we should take a look at whether it makes sense to continue having Serie A with 20 clubs rather than 18. I am personally in favour of 18.
“This unpredictable event must make us reconsider the whole situation and leaving some gaps, because the compression of fixtures puts undue pressure on the players.”