At an important juncture in the history of Serie A, Mr. Adriano Galliani, CEO of Monza Football Club, with his profound insight and rich management experience, recently made a thought-provoking opinion. The question of how he will prudently and intelligently push for the reduction of the number of teams in Serie A from the current 20 to 18 while still at the helm of his former club AC Milan continues to be a hot topic in the industry in the 2023-2024 season.
For a long time, the top teams of Serie A, such as Inter Milan, Juventus, AC Milan and Roma, have been actively advocating the reduction of the number of teams, aiming to improve the level of competition and spectacle, while the clubs in the middle and even the bottom of the table have more reservations, fearing that this move will pose a threat to their own survival space. In an important speech in the Senate of the Italian Republic, Galliani explicitly mentioned the consensus of the four "giants" on the change.
Speaking to the Senate Committee on Culture and Education, Galliani said on Tuesday: "The contradictions inherent within the system are now becoming more apparent, with the four top clubs agreeing that Serie A can and should transition from a 20-team to an 18-team new structure. And this philosophy has resonated with many clubs, including Gabriel Gravina, the president of the FIGC (Italian Football Federation). However, as the official representative of the Serie A team, I am well aware of my responsibility and strive to be impartial in dealing with such issues. ”
Given his current role at Monza, Galliani is not in a position to elaborate on his personal views, but he then laid out his envisaged path of reform: if he remains at the helm of Milan, he will choose a more modest and thoughtful approach to the transformation of the format. He pointed out that while it is theoretically possible to reduce the number of teams from 20 to 18, it will inevitably involve the issue of financial compensation for those who are unfortunate enough to be relegated to ensure that their rights and interests are not seriously harmed.
At the moment, the financial gap between the top clubs and the middle and lower reaches is a world apart, with top clubs having an annual turnover of up to 500 million euros, while some of the lower-ranked teams can only reach the level of around 50 million euros. This huge gap undoubtedly adds to the complexity and sensitivity of reform.
Back in February this year, the big three in the north of Serie A - Inter Milan, Juventus and AC Milan jointly proposed a plan to reduce the number of participating teams to 18 teams, in order to adapt to the new format of the Champions League in the future and alleviate the increasingly heavy competition tasks. However, this plan has been met with resolute resistance from a number of smaller clubs, including Monza, with the Courier reporting: "A strong united front has been formed for Serie A reform, with a number of clubs, including Inter, Juventus and Milan, actively pushing for a squad size of 18." ”
The report further revealed that in the face of the upcoming new Champions League format, the top three in the north hope to meet the challenge by streamlining the domestic schedule. However, Serie A could be divided into two camps as a result, with some smaller clubs ready to resist such a major change that could upend their own fortunes, with Monza being particularly resolute.