Taking matches abroad carries huge risks for football, says Ceferin

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin says taking matches away from their community roots risks “breaking” football.

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European football’s governing body said on Monday it had reluctantly granted approval for one LaLiga and one Serie A match to be played overseas this season, citing uncertainty around the legal framework.

Ceferin insisted at the time the decision did not set a precedent, and told the General Assembly of European Football Clubs in Rome on Wednesday: “Football is not just about balance sheets. It’s not just entertainment.

“It’s life in our communities. It is the streets, the clubs and the fans that shape it, and if we pull it too far away from those roots, we risk breaking it.

“In uncertain times, football is our anchor.”

Villarreal and Barcelona are keen to play in Miami in December, while AC Milan’s match against Como is set to be staged in Perth, Australia, in February.

Ceferin said European football had the potential to be “unstoppable” and “eternal” like the city of Rome, provided there was unity and inclusion.