League President Simonelli announces semi-finals on December 18 and 19, final on December 22. Location still undecided between Riyadh and Jeddah. Possibility of Milan-Como Serie A match in Australia becomes more concrete.
The president of Lega Serie A, Ezio Maria Simonelli, has announced the dates for the upcoming Italian Super Cup. The main change is that it will be played before Christmas, rather than in January.
“The dates are December 18-19 for the semi-finals and the 22nd for the final,” Simonelli stated. “We don`t yet know where, whether in Riyadh or Jeddah. The choice belongs to the Saudis; I imagine it could still be Riyadh. I would hope it`s Jeddah, but the choice is not ours to make.”
The Super Cup tournament will feature the top two teams from the previous Serie A season, Napoli and Inter, along with the Coppa Italia finalists, Bologna and Milan. Milan are the current champions, having won the trophy in January after defeating Juventus in the semi-final and Inter in the final.
Milan-Como potentially in Perth
Speaking on the sidelines of the League assembly, Simonelli also addressed the possibility of the Milan-Como Serie A match, scheduled for February, being played in Perth, Australia. “We didn`t discuss it today; this proposal has arrived. We have officially submitted the request to the FIGC, UEFA, and FIFA. Authorizations from the Asian and Australian federations will also be required. It`s a long and complex process, but I must say that to date, we have not received negative signals.”
“We are requesting this because San Siro will be closed for the Winter Olympics, which doesn`t happen every year, and it was impossible to find another slot or location. There is this necessity, and we are trying to transform it into an opportunity: to promote the Italian championship abroad. We are trying; it`s not certain it will succeed, but I think it will.”
Coppa Italia final in Milan?
Finally, Simonelli commented on new guidelines for rescheduling postponed Serie A matches, stating, “The objective will be to reschedule as soon as possible, ideally within the following 24 hours, whenever feasible.” He also raised the possibility that the Coppa Italia final could be played in Milan instead of Rome.
“The Coppa Italia final clashing with the Rome Masters tennis tournament? Unfortunately, the dates are fixed. Certain things are part of the international calendar, which we cannot manage in Italy. Besides, we have many difficulties managing our own calendar; that is the only date available for the final. We regret the overlap, but we will eventually consider playing the final in Milan, where this problem does not exist.”
