Last month, we were all made to believe that the Italian Super Cup will be held at the San Siro Stadium in the first few weeks of January.
Nonetheless, it appears that a new twist has emerged, as Luigi Di Siervo is currently in the KSA.
According to Calciomercato, the CEO of Lega Calcio is negotiating with Saudi officials on several fronts, which could move the competition back to Riyadh.
In recent years, some of the previous editions were held in the Saudi capital, and one more edition is supposed to take place according to the initial contract between the two parties.
While some expected that this year’s Super Cup to be held on home soil, the source claims that the encounter between Scudetto winners Inter and Coppa Italia holders Juventus could possibly take place in Riyadh on December 22.
The report adds that Di Siervo is also negotiating Serie A TV rights in the Middle East, as the region currently lacks an official broadcaster.
Moreover, there’s a proposal that could see six more editions of the Super Cup being held in KSA in a four-club format (similar to the Spanish experiment) which could generate between 180 and 190 million euros for Italian football.
Juve FC say
Juventus fans were unhappy with the initial proposal that would see the competition being held at their opponent’s own turf, but a mid-season journey to the Middle East could also prove to be an unneeded distraction.
But there’s a much larger picture in here than a mere Super Cup fixture. Serie A clubs lack the cash, and the Saudis are willing to splash the money to reaffirm their partnership with Italian football.
The large figures mentioned above will surely tempt the Lega Calcio members.
