00:04Italian football is experiencing one of its most delicate phases in recent decades. The season
00:11The 2024-25 UEFA Champions League campaign represented a true watershed, with only one team surviving
00:19in the round of 16, Atalanta, and with the painful eliminations of Juventus and Inter. It's not a question of
00:25a simple negative cycle, but the clear manifestation of structural problems that affect
00:31the system for years. Serie A risks slipping definitively into the background compared to the
00:37other major European leagues. The Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and Ligue 1 offer
00:44a very different picture. In Germany and France, Bayern Munich and PSG have dominated for years, ensuring
00:51continuity and stability. In Spain, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have almost
00:57the certainty of qualifying for the Champions League every year, being able to plan investments
01:02and long-term strategies. In Italy, however, the fight for European seats is more uncertain.
01:08and exhausting, with heavy consequences on international performance. An emblematic fact, Atletico
01:15Madrid, despite not having a significant European record, was valued at 2.5 billion euros
01:21in 2024, while Milan, two years earlier, had been sold for 1.2 billion. This gap
01:28economic reflects the different perception of the value of the clubs and the ability to attract
01:33investors. Juventus, eliminated by Galatasaray, experienced a challenge that on paper seemed
01:40within his reach. However, the economic comparison is merciless. The top Turkish clubs can
01:46afford very high salaries. Ozyman earns 15 million net, Sané 9, Icardi 6. In comparison,
01:54Juventus' highest paid player is Vlaovic, with 12 million, while the young promise
02:00Yildiz will reach 6. This imbalance inevitably translates into a technical and competitive gap.
02:06Juventus came close to achieving the feat in the return match, but the difference in available resources
02:12It had a huge impact. This isn't just an episode, but a clear signal. Serie A
02:18It can no longer compete financially with many emerging companies. Inter's elimination
02:25against Bodo-Glint was even more sensational. The Nerazzurri, dominating the league, paid the price
02:31choices influenced by typical Italian cultural pressure. Christian Kivu, at his first
02:37experience in a knockout challenge, he had to balance the championship and the Cup, preferring
02:42to preserve starters for Serie A. A decision that compromised the European path. The culture
02:49Italian football tends to judge coaches exclusively by the trophies they win. Simone Inzaghi,
02:55Despite a memorable season, he was criticized for not having won titles. This climate has
03:01pushed Kivu to favor the championship, with disastrous consequences in the Champions League. In England,
03:06on the contrary, a year without trophies can still be considered positive if the team has
03:12demonstrated growth and competitiveness. The Italian calendar is a structural obstacle. Unlike
03:18in Germany and France, where the big teams have easier paths, in Italy the fight for qualification
03:24The Champions League is very tight. Coaches have to balance their energies between the league and the cups, often
03:30sacrificing Europe. Furthermore, the Premier League television rights guarantee
03:35huge revenues even for mid-level clubs, while in Italy the qualification for the Champions League
03:40It is vital. It ensures at least 40 million euros against the eleven of a qualification to the round of 16. It is
03:47It is clear that the championship becomes the priority. One solution could be the reduction of the
03:52Serie A with 18 teams, like the Bundesliga and Liga An. The advantages would be multiple.
03:594 fewer rounds to play, elimination of midweek rounds, greater valorisation
04:05of the Italian Cup, improving the technical level thanks to a more restricted selection.
04:10However, the FIGC seems to be oriented towards a different reform, aiming at reducing
04:16promotions and relegations to ensure stability. A choice that risks increasing the number
04:21of teams without objectives, distorting the championship and not solving the problem of congestion
04:27of the calendars. The crisis of the clubs also affects the national team. Italy does not participate
04:33to a World Cup since 2014 and risks missing the 2026 one as well. The play-offs in March
04:40against Northern Ireland and, possibly, Wales or Bosnia represent a key crossroads.
04:46The lack of competitiveness of clubs translates into a reduced ability to develop players
04:51accustomed to competing at the highest levels. Italian football suffers from a mentality
04:57obsessively tied to the immediate result. In England, a project can be evaluated
05:03positively even without trophies, if it shows growth and prospects. In Italy, however,
05:08a coach is judged a failure if he doesn't win, regardless of his quality
05:13of the game or the progress made. This attitude hinders the construction of projects
05:19in the long term and fuels pressure that often leads to conservative choices. Football
05:24Italian is at a crossroads. Continuing on the current path means accepting marginalization.
05:30progressive, with clubs becoming less competitive and a national team in difficulty. The solution
05:36It goes through a structural reform of the championship, reduction of the number of teams,
05:42greater attention to economic sustainability, a cultural change that values planning
05:47In the long term. Only in this way can Serie A return to competing with the major European powers.
05:53and recover the centrality that is due to it by history and tradition. Otherwise, the risk
05:59is that the glories of the past remain a distant memory.
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