Italian and Spanish League clubs could play a regular league match overseas even though the idea proved hugely unpopular with English fans when the Premier League investigated the idea of doing the same thing seven years ago.
A so-called “39th game”, shorthand to describe a regular season match played overseas, is back on the agenda according to Milan’s director Japp Kalma and Malaga vice-president Moayad Shatat.
Kalma said Serie A clubs were discussing the move, having already played the Super Cup in Qatar.
“I can see it happening. What we have already done is play the Super Cup, the match between the winners of the Coppa Italia and the league winners, in Qatar,” he said.
“That’s a relatively easy match because that’s not a match that is part of a competition. One of the other things in Serie A we are studying is having the season opener or another emblematic match during the season played abroad.”
Shatat agreed that the idea of an overseas match would help the leagues, which have fallen behind the Premier League’s global reach in terms of commercial contracts.
“Nothing can beat the experience of a live event,” he said. “We can push it through different channels like social media, but nothing can beat the live experience. Now we will hopefully have games abroad involving regular season matches.
“Last year we created a new tournament, the La Liga World Challenge where the clubs are travelling abroad and playing friendlies and tournaments in order for the fans to experience La Liga live.
“We want to bring the live experience closer to the fans who support us around the world,” he added.
Serie A
Cagliari 4
Ekdal 3; Farias 14; Mpoku 38; Cop 63
Parma 0
HT: 3-0. Att: 11,000.
P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
Juventus | 34 | 24 | 7 | 3 | 64 | 19 | 79 |
Roma | 34 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 48 | 25 | 64 |
Lazio | 34 | 19 | 6 | 9 | 64 | 32 | 63 |
Napoli | 34 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 62 | 43 | 59 |
Fiorentina | 34 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 49 | 42 | 52 |
Sampdoria | 34 | 12 | 15 | 7 | 41 | 37 | 51 |
Genoa | 34 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 49 | 40 | 50 |
Inter | 34 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 50 | 39 | 49 |
Torino | 33 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 40 | 36 | 48 |
Palermo | 34 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 46 | 48 | 43 |
Milan | 34 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 46 | 45 | 43 |
Udinese | 34 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 38 | 45 | 41 |
Chievo | 34 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 25 | 33 | 41 |
Verona | 34 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 41 | 58 | 40 |
Empoli | 33 | 7 | 17 | 9 | 38 | 42 | 38 |
Sassuolo | 34 | 8 | 13 | 13 | 39 | 52 | 37 |
Atalanta | 34 | 6 | 15 | 13 | 32 | 47 | 33 |
Cagliari | 34 | 6 | 9 | 19 | 42 | 63 | 27 |
Cesena | 34 | 4 | 12 | 18 | 32 | 61 | 24 |
Parma (-7) | 34 | 6 | 5 | 23 | 27 | 66 | 16 |