They thought about it until the end, a few hours before the deadline for presenting the documentation, with the risk of losing the support of the top European football leaders for the candidacy to host the European Championships of 2028. But in the late afternoon of 22 October the Italian government, as communicated by Palazzo Chigi, it has decided to constitute itself in defense of UEFA in the judgment on the Super League hinged at the European Court of Justice.
A move that was expected precisely because of the high stakes and which, indeed, it was thought could arrive earlier and not a few hours after the deadline set for midnight on 22 October. The decision of Palazzo Chigi to take sides with Uefa in support of the legitimacy of the opposition to the elite tournament wanted by Real Madrid, Juventus and Barcelona strengthens the position of the European federation in the dispute with the clubs that they continued to support until lastly the need for the new competition. Also because, together with Rome, 15 other European countries have also lined up in support of UEFA: Spain, France, Portugal, Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden, Hungary, Latvia, Malta, Denmark, Romania, Slovakia, Ireland and Iceland.
This was an epilogue that had also been invoked by the leaders of Italian sport, with the president of Coni, Giovanni Malagò, and that of the FIGC, Gabriele Gravina, who had asked Mario Draghi’s executive to align himself with the position of others during the day. European countries. A lack of support from Italy could also have had very serious side effects, starting with the lack of support for the Italian candidacy for Euro 2028. “Through the Undersecretary for Sport, Valentina Vezzali, I represented the position of the Figc on the constitution of Italy in the judgment on the Superalloy hinged at the European Court of Justice, highlighting its risks and criticalities. I hope that this will happen by today so as not to place our country outside a very large group of states that support UEFA in what we believe is a battle of principle in defense of an open and meritocratic football system, ”said Gravina.
While Malagò, who had seen the head of the Football Association in the morning, said: “I took stock of the situation with Gravina who was sorry, embittered and surprised, also because the government had clearly explained his position some time ago. Gravina asked me if I could hear anyone. In any case it would seem a contradiction not to take a stand ”.