AC Milan will face Como in Australia next year, it seems, and it is a decision which has left very few parties happy.
Talk of a game abroad has been present for a while, and it just so happens that during the Winter Olympics, when San Siro is out of service, Milan will play a game at home. So, naturally, the only choice is to play a game away from Italy.
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Of course, there are several options local to the club, but they have not opted to take one of them. Instead, looking to raise the profile of Serie A and the clubs involved. They will also make a pretty penny for the decision, you’d imagine.
Not looking good
However, money is not the be-all and end-all, and both clubs have heard that from some very relevant parties.
In mid-October, Como released a statement to their ‘family’ and general Serie A fans, looking to make the decision seem better. However, it only frustrated some, with the idea of sacrifice and league growth a very prominent theme in the press release.
To reply to that, the Como Curva, a supporters group, replied on their social media, stating that it was a bit of a kick in the teeth to them.
“Como without its people is not Como. You talk about sacrifice as if it were an abstract concept, a word to be put in a press release. For us, however, sacrifice is daily life.”
It is not only Como who have been vocal about this, and two of Milan’s French players, and senior ones at that, have spoken out against the move, claiming it is a bit of a strange decision to make.
Adrien Rabiot: “It’s crazy to travel so many miles for a match between two Italian teams in Australia. We have to adapt, as always.”
Mike Maignan: “I totally agree with Rabiot. Nowadays, we consider the financial aspect and forget other things. It’s a Serie A match. I don’t understand why it’s being played abroad.”
The viewpoints are mixed, but it is tough to find a supporting or relevant party (away from the boardroom) that appreciates this as a good decision. So, it remains to be seen if there is going to be any reply to the criticism.
Think of it this way – you wouldn’t just spend a ton of money on a casino without doing your research first. You’d review the top casino sites on casinos.com for example, to do some research, assess features, and then make a decision.
People that analyse data and research reviews before making decisions tend to achieve better outcomes. That’s certainly the case with online casinos, each of which can offer very different sign-up bonuses and varying amounts of free spins to encourage you to play on their sites.
AC Milan should apply the same thorough analytical approach when evaluating overseas games.
