Italian Super Cup, Serie A made a fool of itself: here’s why
When the Lega Serie A decided to move the Italian Super Cup to Riyadh, accepting Saudi Arabia’s offer, the intent was clear: to bring Italian soccer to a market that is becoming increasingly relevant, with huge investments and a growing passion for the sport.
Supercoppa Italiana, che figuraccia per la Serie A: il dato che tutti hanno notato (Lapresse) – Serieanews
The arrangement, which saw our soccer move to the Middle East, was supposed to be an international showcase, a stage to showcase the best of Italian soccer. However, the numbers that have emerged from the first matches of this edition do not seem to say the same.
La Supercoppa in Arabia Saudita: una scelta che lascia perplessi
The Italian Super Cup is a trophy that, while less prestigious than the league or the Champions League, has always attracted the attention of fans and onlookers, particularly when staged in Italy. But the Lega di Serie A’s decision to bring the challenge to Saudi Arabia, a deal that calls for the event to be held on Saudi soil for an agreed-upon number of years, has stirred up quite a bit of controversy.
The choice to play in a facility far from the beating heart of European soccer certainly raised doubts, but the real problem emerged with the glaring attendance figure: if Serie A hoped that the allure of Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Al-Nassr would draw attention to the Italian league, the reality was quite different.
Inter-Atalanta: un flop sugli spalti
The first Italian Super Cup semifinal between Inter and Atalanta revealed a number of contradictions. Despite the positive result of the match, with Inter winning 2-0 thanks to a second-half double by Denzel Dumfries, there was little spectacle in the stands to support the teams on the field.
Inter-Atalanta: un flop sugli spalti (Ansa Foto) – Serieanews
The Al-Awwal Park Stadium facility in Riyadh, which can accommodate up to 25,000 spectators, had an attendance of just under 17,000. This means that as many as 8,000 tickets remained unsold, a figure that only adds to concerns about the real interest in this event in Saudi Arabia.
Most of those in attendance also seemed to be rooting for Inter, with a clear predominance of Nerazzurri supporters in the stands, creating something of a paradox for a trophy that was supposed to celebrate the Italian nature of soccer.
But the disappointment with the low turnout was not just limited to the numbers: the atmosphere in general appeared less electric than could have been expected from such a major event, with less warm and engaging cheering than would have been seen in Italy. The feeling that the Italian Super Cup still fails to win the hearts of the Saudi public, despite the prestige of the teams involved, became evident.
Juventus-Milan: una speranza di riscatto
Fortunately, the second semifinal, being played between Juventus and AC Milan, had a much better turnout. The 25,000 seats available for the match were almost all filled, a sign that there is still interest, albeit limited, in Italian soccer.
The challenge, which will be held on the same evening of Jan. 3, will certainly have a different context, with a greater turnout and greater expectation on the part of fans, especially considering the historical rivalry between the two teams and their high value. However, even in this case, we are far from stadium numbers that one would expect for a trophy bearing the name of the Italian Super Cup.
Yet the contrast with editions played in Italy is stark. Although the Supercoppa has found a home in Arabia, the emerging numbers seem to clearly say that Italian soccer struggles to win the hearts of the Saudi public, at least at the level of minor competitions. In Italy, in fact, Super Cup finals always record much higher attendance, with fans flocking to stadiums to see the stars of the league.
Un futuro incerto per la Supercoppa Italiana in Arabia Saudita
The thought-provoking fact is clear: although the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia may be an important showcase for foreign leagues and an economic opportunity, the numbers in the stands tell a very different story. Italian soccer still seems too far from the hearts of the Saudi public, and hopes of bringing large crowds to Riyadh may prove more complex than anticipated.
The future of the competition, especially with regard to its permanent move to Saudi Arabia, will depend greatly on how much the Saudi public decides to respond with its support. If the numbers remain similar to those of the first matches, there may be some reflection on the real value of this choice.
This article Supercoppa Italiana, what a figure for Serie A: the figure everyone noticed appeared in its original version, first on SerieANews.
