Italy’s Broken Coppa 09/01/2007 12.15
The ‘Coppa’ (Italian Cup) has become one of the least appealing tournaments in the whole of Europe. In the first stages – but sometimes even in the final ones – it’s just a good excuse to have a look at the skills of young prospects and to try the form of navigated players stuck to the bench on Serie A Sundays, so no wonder not many people bother to attend the games or show some interest in the competition.
According to many, even from small clubs, it’s just a waste of time. Lifting it could be a sweetener and nothing else for a big name having a bad season in Champions League or Serie A. So what’s the point to keep on playing Coppa Italia?
Last November Reggina entertained Chievo in one of the less attended game of the history of Italian Cup. Only 1.000 people turned up at stadio Granillo on a Wednesday early afternoon to watch a game far from memorable (the away fans were the incredible number of …three).
They were rewarded for their stubborn fidelity with free sandwiches, hot dogs and mineral water, and the tickets were very cheap as well! That’s the harsh reality of a cup which is gradually but fatally dying away.
After such a patent example, there’s immediately a question springing to mind: what’s wrong with a competition lacking a bit of tradition and mainly the interest of the Italian football community?
First of all the format needs to be changed. Lega Calcio should copy the English FA Cup rules, at least considering the free draw scheme, let alone having the big clubs involved from the early stages.
At the moment the first eight of the Serie A table of the previous season enter the competition only from the fourth round and they’re also seeded, meaning that this year Roma and Inter can only face each other in the final, or that Milan and Roma cannot clash before the semi-finals. Something like last week’s Liverpool-Arsenal game in Italy is purely unconceivable!
Two leg ties from the fourth round to the final most of the times are also a massive setback. Take the current Serie A leaders, Inter and Roma. At the end of 2006 in the second leg they both had home games respectively against Messina and Triestina after they had easily won the away fixtures. The two matches at San Siro and at Olimpico were no more than a nice stroll in front of a few hundreds supporters.
But here it come Calciopoli and its revolutionary effects to show that there are solutions which can finally transform Coppa Italia in a pretty decent event.
Last August Juventus, Fiorentina and Lazio, because of points deduction in 2005-2006 Serie A, had to begin their season very early, playing small clubs like Martina, Giarre and Rende in the cup.
That was an indirect consequence of Calciopoli (as clubs from Serie B, Serie C and from outside the top eight in Serie A play the first three rounds of the competition), but it was quite helpful to give a boost to poor Italian football after all the scandals.
The media coverage was larger than usual, but it grew much bigger when in the third round Juventus travelled to Naples and Fiorentina went to Marassi to contend a place in the last sixteen with Genoa.
At San Paolo 70.000 people hailed an Azzurri famous victory on penalties against the Old Lady, after a thrilling 3-3 draw, while genoani packed their stadium to see Adailton and his team mates stun Viola.
No seeding, no two leg ties, top flight clubs playing from the first rounds, plus weaker teams benefiting from the home advantage conceded at least in the first phase of the competition and possibly a few games staged over week ends.
That would be a good recipe to revitalize Coppa Italia and after what happened last summer we have more evidence to prove our theory.
Instead the quarterfinals games are currently spread on three nights in the middle of the week as agreed with RAI, which has got the TV rights to show Coppa Italia.
By the way, we’re talking about very reasonable TV rights (costing just 11 millions euros, much less than last year 26 millions).
Something the Italian football Authorities should consider very thoroughly. Otherwise, and we know we’re being a little bit provocative, they should call it a day and get rid of the cup.
Luca Manes
The ‘Coppa’ (Italian Cup) has become one of the least appealing tournaments in the whole of Europe. In the first stages – but sometimes even in the final ones – it’s just a good excuse to have a look at the skills of young prospects and to try the form of navigated players stuck to the bench on Serie A Sundays, so no wonder not many people bother to attend the games or show some interest in the competition.
According to many, even from small clubs, it’s just a waste of time. Lifting it could be a sweetener and nothing else for a big name having a bad season in Champions League or Serie A. So what’s the point to keep on playing Coppa Italia?
Last November Reggina entertained Chievo in one of the less attended game of the history of Italian Cup. Only 1.000 people turned up at stadio Granillo on a Wednesday early afternoon to watch a game far from memorable (the away fans were the incredible number of …three).
They were rewarded for their stubborn fidelity with free sandwiches, hot dogs and mineral water, and the tickets were very cheap as well! That’s the harsh reality of a cup which is gradually but fatally dying away.
After such a patent example, there’s immediately a question springing to mind: what’s wrong with a competition lacking a bit of tradition and mainly the interest of the Italian football community?
First of all the format needs to be changed. Lega Calcio should copy the English FA Cup rules, at least considering the free draw scheme, let alone having the big clubs involved from the early stages.
At the moment the first eight of the Serie A table of the previous season enter the competition only from the fourth round and they’re also seeded, meaning that this year Roma and Inter can only face each other in the final, or that Milan and Roma cannot clash before the semi-finals. Something like last week’s Liverpool-Arsenal game in Italy is purely unconceivable!
Two leg ties from the fourth round to the final most of the times are also a massive setback. Take the current Serie A leaders, Inter and Roma. At the end of 2006 in the second leg they both had home games respectively against Messina and Triestina after they had easily won the away fixtures. The two matches at San Siro and at Olimpico were no more than a nice stroll in front of a few hundreds supporters.
But here it come Calciopoli and its revolutionary effects to show that there are solutions which can finally transform Coppa Italia in a pretty decent event.
Last August Juventus, Fiorentina and Lazio, because of points deduction in 2005-2006 Serie A, had to begin their season very early, playing small clubs like Martina, Giarre and Rende in the cup.
That was an indirect consequence of Calciopoli (as clubs from Serie B, Serie C and from outside the top eight in Serie A play the first three rounds of the competition), but it was quite helpful to give a boost to poor Italian football after all the scandals.
The media coverage was larger than usual, but it grew much bigger when in the third round Juventus travelled to Naples and Fiorentina went to Marassi to contend a place in the last sixteen with Genoa.
At San Paolo 70.000 people hailed an Azzurri famous victory on penalties against the Old Lady, after a thrilling 3-3 draw, while genoani packed their stadium to see Adailton and his team mates stun Viola.
No seeding, no two leg ties, top flight clubs playing from the first rounds, plus weaker teams benefiting from the home advantage conceded at least in the first phase of the competition and possibly a few games staged over week ends.
That would be a good recipe to revitalize Coppa Italia and after what happened last summer we have more evidence to prove our theory.
Instead the quarterfinals games are currently spread on three nights in the middle of the week as agreed with RAI, which has got the TV rights to show Coppa Italia.
By the way, we’re talking about very reasonable TV rights (costing just 11 millions euros, much less than last year 26 millions).
Something the Italian football Authorities should consider very thoroughly. Otherwise, and we know we’re being a little bit provocative, they should call it a day and get rid of the cup.
Luca Manes
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