President of the Italian Football Federation Gabriele Gravina believes the new Serie A season will see a more open Scudetto race. Speaking with Il Corriere dello Sport, Gravina touched on a range of subjects, from the title race, Italy’s disappointment at the EURO’s and the ongoing tensions between him and Minister of Sport, Andrea Abodi:
President, after a summer of controversies, we start again.
“I imagine the championship more fought for the scudetto. Conte at Napoli, Thiago at Juve and also Milan can reduce the gap with Inter. Italiano intrigues me, Palladino’s Fiorentina has what it takes to repeat Bologna’s exploit.”
Did Atalanta against Real Madrid surprise you?
“Gasperini honored our football, playing on par with Ancelotti’s battleship. Atalanta is a model because it continues to invest in young Italians as demonstrated by the purchase of Brescianini.”
However, Italians are still depressed from the flop at the European Championship.
“Not even I have absorbed the disappointment yet. But in FIGC we have reacted: Buffon is full-time in Club Italia as sporting director, we are activating the directors’ council to create an increasingly solid synergy with the clubs and we have strengthened the work of our youth teams, which in the last two years have made us rejoice for the U19 and U17 European titles, involving in the National team also coordinator Viscidi. But all this is not enough if the culture of the clubs does not change.”
What do you expect?
“That they do not waste talent as is happening. In Serie A the playing time of Italian U21s is 2.8%. Italian Over 21s are at 31.6%, foreign ones at 63%. Serie A must lower the age threshold in Primavera, favoring a higher number in the lists of players trained in youth academies.”
Tell the truth, did Spalletti really think about resigning?
“The coach worked all summer. I have always found him very motivated. His biggest challenge now will be to create a group that compensates with play and motivation for some objective technical deficiencies.”
Meanwhile the government always has football in mind: are the agency for club control and the Mulé amendment field invasions for you?
“Well, they are when they aim, even unintentionally, to harm the autonomy of sport. I fought to improve drafts that were disproportionate and inapplicable. There is then a question I ask myself: thanks to these measures do we really think that football can solve its problems?”
And what answer do you give yourself?
“That it would have been better to address as a priority the issue of protecting youth academies and young people, as well as creating a fund for the modernization of facilities.”
How would you define relations with Malagò?
“Excellent. I know the passion with which he interprets his role. I will say more: he should be put in a position to compete for the fourth term as president of CONI.”
However, there have been several tensions with the Minister for Sport Abodi.
“They are part of the debate. I have known and appreciated Abodi for many years, so much so that I understand well the governmental and parliamentary difficulties he encounters in transforming shared commitments and projects into concrete acts and actions.”
Abodi expected an assumption of responsibility after Italy-Switzerland.
“Distorted narratives. In Iserlohn, after the elimination, I took responsibility and outlined a path. Then I disagree with those who believe that the political part is responsible for sporting results.”
However, no one “paid” after yet another Italian collapse.
“I listened to the whispers, the criticisms too. That’s why I called the elective assembly. Yet this availability was overturned, making me appear as someone clinging to power. Then I decided to favor a constituent phase and there they began to talk about ‘steps back’ by the undersigned. I don’t agree with this, it’s not serious. We must respect the internal democracy of FIGC.”
Will you run again?
“I reiterate: with the utmost serenity I will decide on my candidacy after modifying the statute, consulting with the components as I have always done.”
Do you think the government wants to take control of sports?
“Politics has a supporting and stimulating role, as long as it doesn’t overstep. I’ve read about the interest of political figures to interfere in the basic electoral process of some federations. If true, it would be very serious. What matters is respect and unfortunately, in recent times, it hasn’t always been recognized to me and FIGC.”
What does football ask for, conversely?
“In recent weeks we’ve also witnessed the Olympics of who said the most outrageous thing. Our requests are in black and white, including the levy on betting to create a fund for facilities and youth academies and the tax credit to be recognized to virtuous clubs.”
Help us understand: is it so difficult to get along with Claudio Lotito?
“Look, Serie A is not just Lotito: it’s composed of 20 clubs and I have an excellent relationship with many of them. Honestly, it’s not a priority for me. Then excuse me, which Lotito are we talking about? The president of Lazio, the federal councilor, or the senator?”
Serie A would like professionalism represented in FIGC at 51% and asks for 35% for itself compared to the current 12%. The Mulé amendment for the first time talks about weights based on economic value. Will a compromise be reached?
“Being together is a value only if there’s no prevarication of one part over the other. It’s right to adjust federal representations, but we can’t forget the strength of associationism and the culture of a system where the growth of one brings benefits to all. If we started to reason about a supply chain between leagues, as in England, the percentages of components would become secondary.”
For over 40 years we’ve been hearing about reform. At what stage is the process?
“First of all, we’ve aligned Italy with Europe, adopting economic criteria chosen by UEFA. We’re aiming at rehabilitating the accounts of professional football: we need more virtuous management.”
People think that football lives in a world detached from reality, with uncontrolled losses and pharaonic expenses.
“The production value of football has increased by 24% compared to the previous season, reaching 4.3 billion. However, the sector has recorded losses of 5 billion in the last 5 seasons. It’s urgent to find a balance between costs and revenues, otherwise there’s no future. But there are also positive aspects.”
Which ones?
“Thanks to football, 11.3 billion of GDP were created, generating 3.3 billion in tax revenue. In addition, there are social projects that have an extraordinary impact on the community.”
Serie A with 18 teams, playoffs, reform of relegations to B and C. The formats of the championships seem to have disappeared from the agendas.
“I had prepared a very detailed dossier, but the discussion stalled because some leagues didn’t want to give up the so-called right of agreement. At the moment everything is at a standstill, no point in beating around the bush.”
We’re in the football of 80 games a year and unmanageable calendars. Was there really a need for the Club World Cup in July?
“In economics, we talk about the law of diminishing marginal utility: if you put too much product on the market, you lose interest. So football is inflated and TV rights resources are shifting towards international competitions at the expense of national ones. I hope the Club World Cup brings benefits to the system, but certainly too much is being played.”
Big tournaments instead of local competitions: isn’t this the logic that inspired the Super League?
“We’re talking about a tournament that had nothing super about it, that got the timing and methods wrong by imposing a model without dialogue. It will never represent me.”
Chapter on stadiums: do we really risk losing Euro 2032?
“UEFA rules are clear: by October 2026 we must indicate five stadiums with financed and ready-to-build projects for modernization or new construction by the first half of the following year. Abodi said he was optimistic and after the extraordinary work for the assignment of the event to Italy, I don’t even want to think that we won’t be ready for these deadlines.”
