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The possibility of AC Milan and Como being played in Australia is now 50-50, according to journalist Pietro Mazzara.
UEFA’s approval seemed to have pretty much made the plan to play Milan-Como in Perth official, but what happened in Spain with the cancellation of Villarreal vs. Barcelona in Miami could have repercussions.
There is talk of strong external pressure being put on Lega Serie A to call off the game. Massimiliano Allegri and Cesc Fabregas have given their thoughts, ultimately disapproving of the idea, and some players like Rabiot and Maignan) have expressed their opposition.
The managements of Milan and Como have a different idea on things, so much so that they were the first to endorse the initiative to promote the brand and expand visibility in a new market. However, the noise might become too much.
‘The odds are truly even’
Pietro Mazzara published his weekly column for MilanNews and as part of it he gave an update on the Australia game, which has attracted a lot of debate.
“Milan-Como in Perth, the line is very thin. There are high-level political battles underway, and the cancellation of Villarreal-Barcelona in Miami has dealt a strong boost to the opposition that doesn’t want the match between the two Lombard clubs to be played in Australia.
“So far, the odds are truly even, but the public statements of Allegri and Fabregas have also made it clear that they too would prefer to play it in Italy rather than fly halfway around the world. The reasons? Multiple. From the long journey to the climate, which would be completely different from Italy, to the risk of returning with players suffering from flu-related issues.
“If Milan-Como were to be held in Italy, where could it be played? First, in a Serie A stadium wired for VAR and GLT [Goal-Line Technology]. Second, which stadium? The only available one near the two cities is Parma, since Verona and Reggio Emilia will be occupied.
“But here too, the issue of the Tardini’s capacity arises, because Milan have nearly 40,000 season ticket holders , while the Parma stadium can hold 22,352, which would require a sort of selection process, in addition to leaving a portion of the stadium for Como fans.
“The only solution is to postpone the match to the following Wednesday, although, when scheduling, perhaps a reversal of the venue could have been considered.
“One possible date would be February 17 or 18 if Inter were not in the Champions League play-offs, perhaps playing at 6:00pm to avoid clashing with their Champions League matches. Personally, while I understand the plan of Lega Serie A, Milan, and Como, I hope the match is played at San Siro.”
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