Representatives of the lower leagues of the Italian football Championship-Series C and D-from next season will not be able to participate in the Italian Cup. The number of participants was thus reduced from 78 to 40.
Such a scandalous decision was made by the management of the top division of the national championship, Calcio e Finanza reports. The idea is to increase the number of serious matches and make the tournament attractive for television.
The new Cup draw will start on August 15 this year, with 12 Serie A representatives playing in the first round (not in November, as it was before).
This reform caused a heated discussion of the football community and the indignation of representatives of the lower divisions. In particular, they recalled that just recently the Italian Football Federation strongly opposed the creation of the Super League, condemning AC Milan, Juventus, and Inter, and now protects the rights of big clubs.
“This is not just a slap in the face against the backdrop of the reaction to the Super League project, it takes the Italian Cup away from the standard of cup competitions — the FA Cup. In other countries, amateur teams not only play against big clubs but also host them in their own arenas, “ said Cosmo Sibilia, head of Serie D.
