La Liga announced on Tuesday that it had ditched hotly contested plans to stage the Villarreal versus Barcelona fixture in Miami in December, a decision which delighted many fans and players who've protested against the move.
But while that match is off, Serie A have yet to comment about whether the planned fixture between AC Milan and Como, earmarked for Perth in February will now go the same way.
But welcoming the news from Spain, UEFA's officially recognised fan liaison group, Football Supporters Europe (FSE), demanded on Wednesday that the Italian football authorities now follow suit.
"La Liga's tired idea to export a game to Miami has once again collapsed: Villarreal vs FC Barcelona will be played where it belongs – in Villarreal," said an FSE statement.
"Common sense and the rules of the game have prevailed. This is a seismic victory for European football and everyone who believes the game belongs at the heart of our communities – now it's time for Serie A to drop its plans too.
"Once again, European football stood united to protect the future of our game. The collective opposition from supporters, players, UEFA, the European institutions and many other football stakeholders has been deafening and definitive: domestic league matches must not be exported abroad.
"Serie A must do the right thing in the face of growing isolation and withdraw its proposal to move AC Milan vs Como 1907 to Australia. It's not too late.
"The position of players and supporters in Italy is crystal clear: doubling down on this failed idea would be an act of self-inflicted damage to the league's reputation, to Italian football, and to the game as a whole.
If not, we urge the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which still needs to decide on this proposal, to respect the voice of fans, uphold the rules of the game and reject the proposal. The game has no place 15,000 kilometres away from its home. ... You can't export passion."
Spanish league president Javier Tebas said "narrow-minded" views had cost soccer there a great chance to project itself globally after the abandonment of the Miami fixture.
"Spanish soccer has lost an opportunity to advance, project itself globally and strengthen its future," Tebas said on X. "The defence of 'tradition' is invoked from a narrow-minded and provincial perspective."
With AP
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