Law comes to clubs' aid

The Italian government has approved a new law that will help Italian clubs through the economic problems they are currently facing.

Financial problems
Last summer one of the most prestigious club in Italy, Fiorentina AC, went into bankruptcy, while S.S. Lazio president Sergio Cragnotti was forced to resign from his post in January due to the financial situation at his club. Serie A and Serie B teams are now expected to face a total lost of about €2,000 million at the end of the current season.

'Sava-Calcio'
The new law, called 'Salva-calcio' (literally, football rescuer), will allow clubs to spread their debts over the next ten years, rather than being forced to balance their accounts at the end of the season to obtain a playing licence for next year. However all clubs will have to try to reduce their losses by ten per cent each year.

Carraro happy
The president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) Franco Carraro said he was extremely happy with the new law. "This new law will cost the Italian Government nothing but will help football clubs to start solving the current crisis," Carraro said. "Now we have to find other solutions to the economic crisis. On 4 March we will discuss proposals for a new league format. We need to increase the number of fans following football, we need to cut costs and we need to avoid the big difference existing now between the north and the south in Italian football."