Superlega: the sign of the times and the law of sport
The Superlega? I have been hoping for it for just twenty years, given that in 2001 I began my editorial adventure at the helm of the monthly “Eurocalcio”, a real cult that is still remembered today by some loyalists on the web. For the following nine years, I would tell the story of the most beautiful sport in the world from a point of view that was innovative for the times: the increasingly European dimension that football, like the rest of our society, was integrating into its DNA.
It should not be forgotten that the single currency entered into circulation on 1 January 2002, with a change that on the one hand clearly disappointed (the purchasing power with respect to the lira fell sharply) and on the other evidently helped development. of an increasingly international and community culture. From a purely footballing point of view, it was already clear then that the size of the national championships was beginning to be restricted to the big clubs: for the fans of Inter, Milan and Juve, the real rivals are not Fiorentina, Turin or Udinese (with all due respect), but Real Madrid, Bayern Monaco, PSG and the other big names in Europe.
The story goes in this direction, however, there are at least two aspects that are definitely questionable in the project that is being discussed at the moment. The first is its breakthrough character with respect to UEFA competitions. Since there is also a sports policy, all the tools of diplomacy had to be put in place to avoid a tear that would lead to inevitable judicial consequences, from requests for economic damages to the disqualification of clubs and players. On the sporting level, a certain chaos should be taken into account for some time in the various competitions, even if then everything should flow towards its natural development, as happened with the launch of the Euroleague in basketball. The best balance point would be in a calendar that includes the weekend dedicated to the new European competition and midweek rounds at the national championships.
The second – and most important – weakness of the project lies in the famous assumption of Andrea Agnelli, for which a team like Atalanta would have fewer rights to compete in Europe than a richer and more following club, regardless of the league results. This is not acceptable for anyone who loves sports. Its charm lies in the fact that Davide can beat Goliath and therefore even the most effective money machine must foresee that it is sporting merit that determines success, not just the numbers in the balance sheet.
Atalanta yesterday also reminded Juve that it is the pitch that decides the fate football, but this risks being just a detail of a multi-billion dollar reform that, in fact, has very distant roots in time.