Guardian: Milan-Como Australia game now in ‘serious doubt’ – AFC under ‘external pressure’

The plan to play AC Milan versus Como in Australia is under some strong internal pressure, and nothing can be ruled out at this stage.

Due to the fact San Siro is unavailable for around half a month in February, Milan had to find somewhere else to play their home match against Como. Perth was chosen and got approval from Lega Serie A, something which generated a very strong reaction to say the least.

At the same time, UEFA approved plans for Villarreal to ‘host’ Barcelona out in Miami. However, the plug has been pulled on that plan in the past few days, so now eyeballs have turned back towards the Australia game.

AFC, FIFA and pressure

According to The Guardian, there is a chance that the Milan-Como Australia game could be scrapped.  They state that there ‘are serious doubts over whether Milan and Como will face each other in Perth, despite UEFA approval.

“Now senior figures within European football’s governing body feel that the probability of Serie A breaking precedent and playing a game 8,500 miles from home is also receding,” the report claims.

Photo: Paul Kane/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Not only that, but the move is not official yet by any means because the Asian Football Confederation, Football Australia and FIFA must give the green light too. The AFC are believed to be ‘under significant external pressure not to sanction the game’.

The FIFA president Gianni Infantino called the staging of league games on other continents a ‘big risk’ recently, and there has even been talk of football’s governing body redrafting the regulations to stop future examples like this of games being moved.

Milan midfielder Adrien Rabiot recently called it ‘crazy’ and ‘absurd’ to have to play a game halfway across the world, words that his team-mate and compatriot Mike Maignan fully supported.