The decision has been made: Serie A clubs have voted to keep the number of clubs in the Italian top division at 20. This comes after a shareholders' meeting in Milan on Monday, where only four clubs backed a reduction to 18 clubs in Serie A. The clubs in favor of the reduction were Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan, and AS Roma. However, as they needed a majority of 14 to pass the reform, the number of clubs will remain at 20, as it has been since the 2004-05 season.
The push for a reduction in the number of clubs was driven by the top teams, who hoped it would result in fewer games played and ultimately increase the quality of football in the league. Unfortunately for them, the proposal did not garner enough support from the other clubs. In fact, the attempt to reduce the league size received criticism from directors of other teams.
Urbino Cairo, the president of Torino, expressed his dissatisfaction with the attitude of the clubs in favor of the reduction, stating, 'I think the attitude of [the clubs in question] was wrong. I would say what they wanted to do seemed like a super league.'
Prior to the meeting and vote, Milan president Paolo Scaroni argued for reducing the number of teams, highlighting the strain placed on clubs with international commitments and a crowded fixture schedule. 'In reality, clubs like us who play international competitions and who have many players called up by the national teams complain about too many matches,' Scaroni explained. 'All this leads to a load of matches that becomes unbearable and which is the cause of many injuries.'
Scaroni also pointed out that Serie A has had fewer clubs in the past, with seasons consisting of 18 or even 16 teams. His sentiment was not shared by the majority, as the decision to maintain the current number of clubs demonstrates.
In addition to the vote on the number of clubs, a proposal for reforms was approved during the meeting. These reforms will be presented at the Extraordinary General Assembly of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in March. The aim of these reforms is to grant Serie A more autonomy from the FIGC, similar to the Premier League in England. Serie A president Lorenzo Casini expressed the need for increased decision-making power for the league, stating, 'Currently, the system does not give Serie A the autonomy and decision-making weight it should have with respect to economic weight.'
Milan's Scaroni echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the frustration caused by the league's limited influence within the FIGC. 'We in Serie A, who finance the entire game of Italian football, have 12% of the power within the Federation, which creates an endless cycle of frustration,' he said.
While the number of clubs in Serie A will remain unchanged for now, the approved reforms indicate a desire for greater independence and influence for the league. As attention turns to the Extraordinary General Assembly in March, the discussion on Serie A's future autonomy within the Italian football landscape promises to continue.
