The Supercoppa Italiana is playing out a four-team tournament with ample prize money in Saudi Arabia that concludes on Monday, Jan. 22. Defending Scudetto winners Napoli will face Inter Milan, which won the Copa Italia last season, on Monday. Now, fans know how much each team will take home in prize money when they return to Italy.
According to Football Italia, Italian soccer’s governing body is allotting $25 million among the four teams competing. The lion’s share of the pot is going to the club that eventually wins the Supercoppa Italiana. Therefore, either Napoli or Inter Milan will walk away with just shy of $9 million. The runner-up of that fixture will earn $5.5 million. The two clubs that finish third and fourth, Lazio and Fiorentina, pick up just $2 million. Both of those clubs lost 3-0 in the Supercoppa semifinals.
The clubs that did not feature in the Supercoppa Italiana will still earn a share of the prize money. That means the 16 Serie A clubs still in Italy get a share of the money. Much of that funding comes from the new format and location of the Supercoppa Italiana. Saudi Arabia has made a push to host more European tournaments. In addition to hosting the Supercoppa Italiana, Saudi Arabia hosted the Supercopa de España for the second year in a row. The Middle Eastern country is paying major money to bring Napoli, Inter Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio to the country.
Even though the monetary increase via the Supercoppa Italiana is a welcome addition, fans have not taken so kindly to the move to the Middle East. Al-Awwal Stadium hosted each of the semifinals and the final on Monday. The venue holds 25,000 people, but only 7,000 patrons showed up to watch Napoli defeat Fiorentina. According to reports, fans and ultras alike have not traveled to Saudi Arabia because of financial concerns.
Those are the benefits and drawbacks of having the Supercoppa Italiana in Saudi Arabia. Having increased revenue helps Serie A stay competitive in the transfer market which has rapidly ballooned with more expensive moves. Moreover, Serie A has struggled to get the broadcast rights deals the Premier League has pulled in. Having an added revenue stream can promote the league further. However, it is doing that at the cost of giving fans meaningful games in Italy.
On Monday, either Napoli or Inter Milan will add a trophy to their haul after successful seasons. As stated, both clubs soundly defeated their semifinal opponents, 3-0. Alessio Zerbin scored a brace for Napoli off the bench in the side’s win over Fiorentina. Three different players scored for Inter Milan in a dominant result against Lazio.
This game may be Napoli’s only chance at a trophy this season. Napoli crashed out of the Coppa Italia in the round of 16 and it is eighth in the Serie A table. While Walter Mazzarri’s side is in the UEFA Champions League knockout stage, but it faces Barcelona.
Inter Milan is still in the hunt for the Scudetto and the UEFA Champions League, so there are more possibilities for success with I Nerazzurri.
PHOTOS: IMAGO.
