The already-relegated minnows of Ancona are making a last splash in Serie A by threatening to pull out of Sunday's match at the Olimpico. Their beef has to do with not getting paid their portion of pay-TV fees from the Gioco Calcio consortium which was formed just prior to the season to accomodate some of the smaller clubs. Ancona already went on "strike" once - for 10 minutes - ahead of their game vs Juventus, for the same reason. We'll see if this is an empty threat or if they follow through. Seems to me Lazio would be pretty happy to perhaps get 3 points without playing - and to have an extra few days rest ahead of Wednesday's Derby. This could be just what the doctor ordered.
Ancona can do this? WOW! Lazio is probably praying for the match to be cancelled...just think free 3pts. Who wouldn't want em?
I doubt the other clubs would let the league just give Lazio the 3 points. More likely, Ancona would get docked some points (which don't matter anyway) and fined, and they'd figure out a way to reschedule the game at a later date. But the extra rest would still help Lazio ahead of next week when they play Roma on Wednesday and then Inter next weekend. Or, even more likely, Ancona will cave under the threat of being fined and show up after all.
hey ancona's got a point - clubs like lazio and roma get to bring in players like chivu and albertini when they're insanely deep in debt and the minnows like ancona can't even get their rightful peanuts
You are spot on today, bluedaddy. 2 good points in a row..wink. just kidding. Who knows Ancona could shock the world? YEAH, right.
Well, Ancona did manage to get their first win of the season last week. Not too surprisingly, league president Galliani has convinced the president of Ancona to play. Now that I remember it, this Gioco Calcio PPV consortium was actually put together by the big clubs to help the smaller clubs get a TV contract. But, if I'm reading this correctly, only Juventus and Milan have paid their share, which is why there is a shortfall. "Altri club hanno debiti con lui" Adriano Galliani getta acqua sul fuoco della polemica esplosa con la minaccia del patron dell'Ancona, Pieroni, di non giocare domenica all'Olimpico con la Lazio. Il presidente della Lega annun- cia di aver convinto Pieroni a giocare spiegandogli la situazione. "Gli ho spiegato, e lui ha recepito-di- ce Galliani-, che ha tutti i diritti a reclamare il suo 18% delle gare giocate fino a 30 giorni fa, ma se gioca con la Lazio solo da quel momento scattano i 30 giorni entro cui deve essere pagato. Sono altri ad avere debiti con lui. Fi- nora lo hanno pagato solo Milan e Juve"
ancona actually did have a point, just another facet of the italian game that isn't run appropriately. so the match is on, this one has to be a comfortable win with mancini likely to rest some players (or not give them 90 minutes) with the huge week upcoming...