UEFA OKAYS MATCHES ABROAD

It ‘reluctantly’ finds no Fifa regulations to oppose Serie A, La Liga games overseas

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had “reluctantly” approved the staging of a Spanish La Liga and an Italian Serie A match in the United States and Australia respectively, despite fan protests.

“While it is regrettable to have to let these two games go ahead, this decision is exceptional and shall not be seen as setting a precedent,” Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said in a statement.

Uefa made its ruling after Spain’s La Liga agreed to move a game scheduled for late December between champions Barcelona and Villarreal to Miami, Florida.

Italy’s Serie A also decided to stage the encounter between AC Milan and Como on Feb 8 in Perth, Australia, to avoid a clash with the Winter Olympics opening ceremony at Milan’s San Siro Stadium.

But that sparked protests from European supporters’ groups, who branded the moves “absurd, unaffordable, and environmentally irresponsible”.

In its statement, Uefa said that it had “reiterated its clear opposition to domestic league matches being played outside their home country”.