Serie A: Goverment to help struggling clubs

By Dave Eadevic
March 20 2004

Silvio Berlusconi said yesterday that his goverment were prepared to pass certain measures, which would help out Italy's cash strapped clubs. A save calcio decree, last year meant that clubs could write off a players transfer fee over 10 years, however the EU began to investigate whether this violated state aid and accounting practices. The Italain goverment acted and made certain changes earlier this month, bringing them more into line with EU thinking.

However yesterday Il Sole-24, said that the goverment would be prepared to allow the clubs to roll their income tax arrears over a 5 year period, a move that would certainly benifit the clubs that have to pay their players such gigantic wages.

However Berlussconi's statement it was not entirely clear whether he was refering to the repot in Il Sole-24 or to direct goverment intervention.

Serie A clubs owe an estimated 350 million pound, which include delayed payments to the state. And the clubs are further indebted to the banks.

Even though Football is by far the most popular sport in Italy, it takes a rich man with deep pockets to own a club as the tend not to be a profitable exercise.

In fact last season on Juventus actually made a profit, with all the other teams showing a loss.


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