It seems certain that Italian football is on the way back – the only problem is the arguments over how and when!
In Sardinia over the weekend, the beaches were packed, prompting Cagliari President Tommaso Giulini to suggest perhaps fans could be back in stadiums by July.
Then there’s the Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini who is opposed to allowing five substitutions per match.
Deemed to be a measure to improve safety when Serie A restarts, Gasperini believes it will lead the game to become more distorted: ‘We become like basketball, it’s like being allowed to change your engine midway through the Grand Prix. It hurts the spectacle,’ he said the other day.
‘After that, who’s the genius that argued it would prevent injuries?’.
Then there is the small matter to resolve between television companies who pay big money to get the best slots for ratings with the plan to play matches at 4.15pm, 6.30pm and 8.45pm local time.
And, of course, what about those who the fans want to watch?
Well, even the players themselves briefly got in on the act by warning they would struggle in the heat of June and July if matches were to be played in the mid-afternoon heat (that option now averted).
All in all then, behind the general united front, there are very different interests and much to resolve before football returns.
It does seem the Coppa Italia will reopen the Calcio calendar, with reports the semi-finals will be brought forward, scheduled for June 13-14, and the Final on June 17.
Again, that has not pleased everyone with Players’ Association President Damiano Tommasi admitting he’s ‘perplexed’ by the Coppa Italia plan.
The Italian Cup, which was halted at the semi-final stage, will be completed the week before the league restarts.
The league then aims to complete the 25th round of fixtures with the four postponed matches — Atalanta v Sassuolo, Hellas Verona v Cagliari, Inter Milan v Sampdoria, Torino v Parma — on the weekend of June 20-21, and schedule the next round of matches for the following week.
Putting aside all the differences of opinion, there is plenty to look forward to and also time for reflection.
Indeed, it would have been fitting if Atalanta’s home match had been the first league game – a symbolic gesture given Atalanta is in Bergamo, which was one of the provinces hit hardest by Covid-19.
However, that honour goes to Torino and Parma on June 20, followed by Verona-Cagliari later that evening.
There is also the thrill of a genuine title challenge to behold with reigning champions Juventus one point clear of Lazio at the top of the table.
The Bianconeri have won the Scudetto for the past eight years but this time there is a feeling Lazio are ready to push them all the way.
That the Aquile have beaten Juventus and Inter in Serie A this term underlines that their threat is a genuine one and they are inarguably Scudetto challengers, defying the SBOBET Serie A betting odds.
Juventus-Lazio is earmarked for Monday, July 20 – a potential end of season title showdown.
The longer-term is mapped out too with the summer transfer window for the 2020-21 season set to run from September 1 to October 5.
It is increasingly likely that each club and the individual player will have to renegotiate deals that are due to expire on June 30, whether they are loans or contracts, to avoid chaos in July and August.
Indeed, the first major deal has just been confirmed with French champions Paris Saint-Germain signing striker Mauro Icardi from Inter Milan.
The 27-year-old Argentina international joined PSG in September on a season-long loan with a buy-out option.
So, there you have it. A way forward.
Despite Giulini’s best intentions, it’s unlikely stadiums will be open to fans for the remainder of this season.
Although, on the flip side, coronavirus cases are on a sharp downward curve in Italy to such extent bosses are even considering opening grounds at a third of their normal capacity, with one in three seats occupied, to ensure social distancing rules can be obeyed.
With domestic seasons urged to finish by August 4 so that the Champions League and Europa League can be completed in August, the entire football calendar has been transformed by the coronavirus pandemic.
Yet with clubs slowly progressing step by step, protocol by protocol, hurdle by hurdle towards the season reopening, the overall picture is surely good news for the majority of football fans.
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